Nothing Left
by marilyngirl
Summary: It's been ten years since Tesla has seen Nicklaus but when Rebekah asks for her help she makes a deal and begrudgingly agrees to come back. With Klaus on a killing spree and at the edge of losing his mind Tesla's end of the deal is to find him and bring him back home. Tesla tries desperately to ignore the charming personality and wicked grin that once made her stay.
1. Chapter 1

**This story is a continuation of my other story "Nowhere To Go" fifteen years later. It does not include my story "a devil makes three" it takes a different story line. It is loosely based on the new episodes of the season but very very loosely.**

 **I do not own The Originals**

Petaluma California 2029

There was no sign on the outside of the shop. No name or indication where the front door was. Tucked into the small downtown area you would have to know where it was to be able to find it. The true green door had only the shops hours etched into the glass and a small clock saying that they were open.

The door had one of those bells at the top that alerted the people inside that the door had opened. It rang as the old door swung into an entryway that almost immediately took you to a large wooden staircase to a second floor of the shop. The bell on the door was the signal that you had been transported back to a time where everything had held a bit of ordinary magic.

The shop floors, stairs and all the railings were made of the same dark stained wood. The bookshelves that lined every inch of every wall were painted a dark grey and housed a colorful and what could only be imagined to be a vast selection of books. The shop smelled of sweet vanilla-ey incense that wasn't sickening but just added to the smell of paper. There were green velvet old fashioned high back chairs littered about and though they were designed to look dated they looked perfectly comfortable and usable.

Up the stairs more rooms with more books with soft illuminating light invited anyone to spend hours perusing the shelves. Each section was clearly marked on hanging wooden signs with loopy script. _Self Help, Religion, How to, Guide, Travel, Fantasy Fiction, Science Fiction, Action and Adventure_ … The signs went on and on.

To the left was a small room with a counter with a glass case underneath. There were stacks of much older looking books confined by the glass. On the wall adjacent to the case was a display with what looked to be every flavor of licorice that could be thought of. Behind the licorice display was a wall full of post cards. Some were face up showing pictures of places traveled and some were turned so that you could read the messages inscribed.

All the postcards were addressed to an Ella.

"I'll be right out! Take a look around holler if you need something" a woman's voice called from the back

"No problem!" Rebekah called back smiling at the familiar lilt to the woman's voice.

"Actually I'm just making a cappuccino would you like one?"

"That'd be lovely." Rebekah smiled walking to the nearest bookshelves that the sign said would be stocked with Poetry.

As she perused the titles she smelled the faint aroma of coffee mixed with the paper and incense and thought that she knew why her friend had stayed here all these years.

The woman came from behind the staircase where there was a small bathroom and a tiny kitchen with an espresso machine. She was holding two white wide mouthed mugs and she passed Rebekah without looking up. Rebekah watched her as she set the mugs down on a window seat that was in the front of the store where there was pop out window.

She was beautiful with pale porcelain skin and a mouth that was always turned up in a small smile. Her heart shaped face was open and honest. She was wearing old high-waisted LEVI shorts with a hole in the left pocket. A buttercream yellow vintage shirt was tucked into the front of the shorts with a slogan advertising a RV park. Pink high top converse graced her feet and somehow they looked better than any heels that she had seen on any other woman. Large gold hoops hung from her ears and a small diamond stud decorated her nose. This was all familiar to Rebekah. The only differences were her hair which instead of platinum blond was now a steely shade of grey that made her Airforce blue eyes seem piercing and mischievous. Short full bangs outlined her face and hit about a half an inch above silver circular wire framed glasses. Her makeup was light and almost nonexistent but it only accentuated her clear skin and soft features.

Rebekah had always thought the woman was beautiful but actually knowing her had changed her opinion over time. The longer you knew Tesla Coos the more beautiful she became.

"Double Americano with milk and honey." Tesla said sitting on the window seat and tapped the spot next to her indicating Rebekah to sit down. Rebekah walked over and took the warm mug in her hands and sat.

"It's like you knew I was coming." Rebekah said closing her eyes against the taste of the coffee.

"I always know when one of you is on the way." Tesla said smiling with her eyes behind her prescription less glasses. "It's like the air changes."

"You look different but it suits you." Rebekah smiled

"You look the same and it has always suited you."

"I miss you Tess." Rebekah said looking down in her mug feeling vulnerable for admitting it.

"I miss you too darling."

Rebekah relaxed at that. Tesla would never use something she said against her. Though it went against everything that her family had taught her over hundreds of years.

"What has he done this time?" Tesla asked

"You assume I'm only here because we want your help?" Rebekah countered "I'm offended"

"Please" Tesla laughed "You only come here when he's done something. Now if you were Elijah that would be different; he comes about once a year to see how I am and he doesn't ever asked me for help. Rebekah, the last time you came to see me was five years ago. What had he done then? Tried to drive out any other supernatural person in the French quarter? Including werewolves and witches? Oh yes that was it."

"Tess…" Rebekah said feeling slightly guilty

"And I'll tell you the same thing that I told you five years ago." Tesla said standing up now visibly irritated

"Tess please" Rebekah tried to interrupt her but the woman was now organizing a cart full of books and talking over Rebekah.

"I am not coming back to bail Nicklaus Mikealson out of trouble for two reasons. The first, is that I got tired of cleaning up his messes ten years ago and that is why I left. The second, is that he doesn't want my help and he probably doesn't want yours either. He is a thousand and change years old! He doesn't need anyone, he can take care of himself and when I left he made that perfectly clear."

"Hayley died." Rebekah said suddenly

Tesla looked up and grief stricken shock was spreading across her face. She leaned against the book cart for support. She started taking deep breaths and Rebekah watched her eyes well up with tears. Telsa had become comfortable with the Mikealson's and Rebekah had always admired her honesty that included not pretending she was okay when she wasn't

"I thought Elijah would have told you." She said crossing her legs feeling a pang of sadness in her own heart.

"No he hadn't." Tesla said wiping her face

"Nik is in a tail spin and we can't track him down. He moves from city to city and goes on a killing spree."

"That's him?" Tesla asked "The serial killer in the papers?"

"Yes."

"He's getting sloppy"

"He doesn't care. He hasn't seen hope in three years and he won't listen to Elijah or myself."

"I figured it was a vampire." Tesla said sitting down on the floor "I just didn't go as far as to think he was behind it. I suppose it makes sense."

"I know this is a lot." Rebekah said

"Save it." Tesla said from the floor "What exactly do you think I am going to do different than you? How do you think I am going to reach him when you haven't?"

"He loves you." Rebekah said grasping

"He loves himself" Tesla said now laying all the way down on her back. "And he may have LOVED me but not anymore"

"You were together for five years." Rebekah countered

"You guys have been together for a lot longer than five years and it isn't helping you." Tesla said but she looked more defeated than anything.

"You haven't seen him in ten years."

"Feels like less." Tesla said running her hand over her face "Feels like days since I have subjected myself to that particular torture."

"You miss him" Rebekah said and watched as the truth washed over Tesla's face. She didn't deny it she just frowned.

"Won't you try to help him?" Rebekah asked "I'm begging you. Elijah and I need you to at least try."

"Why would I do that?" Tesla asked her

Rebekah didn't have the answer to that. She had sort of assumed that when she came here with the shock of Hayley's death and news that Klaus was murdering hundreds of people she would not have to press Tesla very hard.

"You thought you would come here and bat those pretty lashes and throw Elijah's name in and I would fold. Maybe you thought I would because of sympathy for him. Maybe you think that I'm still holding onto some fantasy that Klaus and I will ride off into the sunset." Tesla sat up and looked over at her.

"I don't"

"Your family is like a life draining disease." Tesla said calmly

"That's a little harsh." Rebekah said

"I can't move on, I can't live my life without you guys showing up every so often. Because I got close to you I can't move beyond you. If I don't help you now I'll feel guilty because for some reason I still feel like I owe you."

"So you'll try?" Rebekah asked hopefully

"On one condition." Tesla said standing up and dusting herself off

"Anyhting"

"You leave me alone. If I get him to come back then you never come find me ever again."

Rebekah felt hurt and Tesla turned from her so that she didn't have to see her face.

"Not you, not Elijah and not Hope." Tesla said trying to keep the pain from her voice. The pain of never seeing any of them again. She told herself that it would fade eventually I they didn't keep popping up every couple years.

"Okay." Rebekah said and her boots clicked on the floor

"I'll be ready tomorrow morning eight o'clock." Tesla said not turning around to see her face.

"I'll be here." She heard the bell at the top of the door ring "Tesla…"

Tesla turned then to see Rebekah who looked a little hurt but there was a surprising amount of understanding on her face.

"Thank you." Rebekah said smiling.

"Sure." She said as Rebekah walked out

"I'm going to regret this." Tesla said to herself walking into the back to get her things ready.

Rebekah pulled up to the bookshop just as Tesla was locking up the storefront and pulling a metal gate down over the front door and locked it to the ground. She picked up two to go cups of coffee and a white to go bag. She walked up wearing a red button up peasant blouse with a pair of black overall shorts. Her long slate hair was thrown up into a messy bun. She had a large brown duffle bag slung across her back and a yellow polka dot satchel purse on her hip. A pair of metallic gold KEDS on her feet as she walked to the back of the black mustang. She rapped on the back and Rebekah popped the trunk.

"Do the glasses have to come with us? Rebekah asked when Tesla got in. Telsa reached up to touch the glasses.

"You don't like my glasses?"

"You don't need them, you're a vampire you have better sight than any human." Rebekah rolled her eyes as Tesla shut the door.

"Well I like them, they make me feel like I have a secret identity."

"Like Wonder Woman."

"That is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me." Tesla said putting her hand over her heart.

"It wasn't a compliment it was an observation."

"Nice car." Tesla said admiring the interior. "The fines for driving a non-electric or clean vehicle are outrageous"

"I've never paid a fine." Rebekah said matter of factly

"Of course not." Tesla said

"Where's that damn blazer that you never leave."

"Don't bring her into this." Tesla scowled "Let's just say that I do pay my fines and that is one that I have chosen to lay to rest."

"Shame." Rebekah said as Telsa handed her a coffee. She reached into the bag and pulled out a hand help pie and handed it to Rebekah who took it and bit into it without question.

"Your book store doesn't afford you a carefree lifestyle." She asked

"Print has become…" Tesla faltered for the word "trendy" She almost sounded disgusted.

"You should have opened another business." Rebekah said "A waxing salon perhaps."

Telsa laughed out loud. "I sure did miss that sense of humor."

 **Hope you enjoyed!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own the Originals**

"I don't know how this is possible but wherever you guys move the places you inhabit are both incredible and overwhelmingly big." Tesla said hefting her bag into the entryway.

The townhouse was in Brooklyn and it was grand and beautiful on the inside. The entryway was painted a bright cheerful yellow with crown molded panels done in a floral yellow wallpaper. The trim was white and ornate and both the entryway and the parlor to the left with its giant wall mirror looked inviting and friendly. Though both rooms were slightly bare and looked as if they weren't used much.

"Three parlors an office and a sunroom on this floor." Rebekah said as if this wasn't very impressive. "Dining room, kitchen living room and a sitting room on the second floor. " She said heading toward the staircase to the right of the entryway. "Oh and there's a terrace on the second floor as well."

"Of course there is." Tesla said following her.

"Third floor is bedrooms." Rebekah continued.

"There's Garden access on the basement level, a wine cellar and artist studio and another office. Bathrooms scattered all about."

"Only a Mikealson would react so flippantly to something as incredible as this home." They reached the second floor and she leaned around the corner and looked down the hallway.

"It's been in our family for a while."

"Oh I'll be investigating the extent of what the house has to offer later." They walked up the final set of stairs.

"Only Elijah and Kol live here right now." Rebekah said.

"Where do you live?" Tesla asked admiring the architecture and design of everything.

"I live in an apartment in New York with Marcel." Rebekah responded

"Oh that's right you said that on the flight."

"Fin still staked?" She asked. Rebekah smiled and at that led her to a bedroom with a set of French double doors that were open. The room was laid out more as a parlor, though it was clear that it was supposed to be a bedroom. Against the far wall was a beautiful wooden coffin on a stand. Rebekah gestured to it

"That's a homey touch" Tesla said "you simply must put me in touch with your decorator."

"This room is the gateway to the other three bedrooms." Rebekah said ignoring Tesla's sarcasm. "To the left is Kol's room when he decides to show up. There is an empty bedroom next to his and an empty one to the right over there." She said pointing to a door "the master is Elijah's"

"Okay so do I just pick a room or am I sleeping on the couch for my short stay?" She asked

"You will be staying in the basement." Rebekah said heading toward the stairs

"There are so many questions that I want to ask you right now but the most important is: why would you let me carry my bag up here if I won't be sleeping here?"

"It's not as if you are going to become winded from it."

"It's the principal of the thing." Tesla shook her head descending the stairs "Also are you all so repulsed by me that I must stay in the basement of your home?"

"No it's just set up properly and there's brick." Rebekah responded intentionally withholding information.

"Oh yes you know how I adore brick walls how thoughtful." Tesla said with an irritated edge as she was now getting nervous about the Mikealson plotting. "Set up perfectly for what?"

"I'll let Elijah explain."

"Of course you will." Tesla grumbled. "That silver tonged devil could sell a ketchup popsicle to a woman in white gloves."

"I don't think I understand the reference, or why anyone would sell another person a ketchup popsicle but I am still offended.' A voice came up from below them and Tesla hurried down the stairs.

"Elijah!" She exclaimed and dropped her bag on the floor.

"Hello darling." He responded one of his rare but genuine smiles. He held his arms open in a gesture to hug her. Whether he had resigned to the fact that she was going to hug him regardless, or that he actually wanted to be hugged she was not sure.

"I missed you." She said wrapping her arms around him." For a brief moment he hugged her back and relaxed into her.

"I also mourned your absence." He said stepping back and his smile turned into a small expression of happiness. "Thank you for coming."

She just nodded smiling up at him enjoying the feeling of being back. Then, she remembered the news that had hit her so hard the day before. Sorrow racked her body and her expression must have changed because his face mirrored her own.

As a vampire you learned to take loss in stride. You were always losing people and so you became numb to some losses. Humans getting old and dying phased you less and less the older you got. Even other vampire's deaths weren't that surprising based on the lifestyles and situations they got themselves into.

She said nothing but met his gaze as he wordlessly accepted her condolences. Every time her heart beat a dull ache of loss pumped through it. It was nothing new but a fresh loss always opened old wounds and the pain of them all coursed through her veins. Hayley had been a good friend to her for the five years she had been with the Mikealsons. They both made jokes at the families' expense and got along well. When Tesla had moved to California they had fallen out of touch a bit. Hayley visited when she could but their communication wasn't great over the years.

"When?" She asked simply.

"Nine months ago." He said and she nodded. She reached out and touched his shoulder. He let her for a moment before stepping away.

"I thought that her death was the reason for Klaus'..." She gestured in the air looking for the right word to describe what was going on. She then realized she knew surprisingly little of what was going on.

"No, Niklaus left before Hayley. Her death only caused him to darken." Elijah said to her.

"Hope hasn't seen him in four years." Rebekah said and they all migrated though a parlor to the left of the entryway. "We've tried to go after him several times but he refuses to heed any advice or plead."

"You've sent Hope after him?" She asked with a small amount of panic in her voice.

"No." Elijah answered quickly as they walked through a third parlor. "We didn't want that to rest on her."

"Good, she shouldn't have to do that." She said and they descended a set of stairs into the basement. There was a wine cellar that led into a small room that had old brick walls and a concrete floor. It was clean and well-lit and didn't have the dungeon-ey feel that Tesla had been expecting. That room gave way to another room and she could tell through the doorway that that room had also been furnished and she could see an easel set up in the corner.

Rebekah set Tesla's bag on the ground next to the bed and Tesla took stock of what she assumed was her new room. It was rather small, quaint and cozy with a twin bed made up with a white down comforter and white sheets. There was a grey knitted blanket at the bottom folded neatly with a small wrapped package sitting on top of it. Next to the bed was a wooden nightstand with an antique lamp and an alarm clock. The room looked like it had been set up by someone who was really unsure of how rooms were set up now.

"Oh good an alarm clock. I'll have to read an article to remember how to properly use one of those." She said stepping into the next room which was almost three times the size of its small gateway room. It had a bathroom off to the left and had the same walls and floor as her room. The bed was larger and there were two nightstands to her one. She walked over to the easel in the corner and her heart hurt when she saw some of the paintings tucked behind it. The one on top was of Rebekah and she looked just as beautiful as she always had. They were Klaus' paintings.

Tesla kept herself from fondly flipping through them and marveling over his talent. She couldn't though and then she thought of how much it would hurt if she found a portrait of herself; Klaus had done a few paintings of her. She was never willing to sit for him of course but he would take photographs and recreate her likeness. Secretly she had always been very flattered and he always painted her much more beautifully than she had ever seen herself.

She turned then back to the siblings. The thought that perhaps no paintings of her were in that stack hurt worse than the idea that there might be. Then her mind suggested that perhaps the paintings of her no longer existed and that bothered her enough to turn her away from the corner.

"Do you want to tell me why I had to stay in a room close to the room you guys set up for Klaus?" She asked a sinking feeling of Mikealson treachery coming over her.

"We have an idea of how to help you bring Klaus back." Rebekah said

"You mean you have a plan to use me to bring Klaus here." She said not angrily. She had been expecting this after all. She knew that what Rebekah had asked her to do had been too easy. There was always a catch with this family and she wasn't naïve.

"If you bring him home we will keep our promise to you." Elijah said with emphasis on the latter part of the sentence.

She supposed Rebekah had filled him in on her conditions.

"How can you be sure he'll come home?" She asked shaking her head "There isn't any way that he will be more inclined to listen to me than to you."

"It isn't your power of persuasion over our brother that led us to seek your help." Elijah said gesturing for her to sit down on the bed they had prepared for her. She did.

"I know I have many talents and am irresistibly alluring but which of my many charms can I offer to you for this particular matter?" She asked keeping her tone sarcastic and light to keep her irritation out of it.

"Every time we go after him we do a locating spell to track him." Rebekah said sitting down next to her "Davina and Freya have been helping."

Tesla repressed a grimace at Freya's name. The long lost sister of Klaus that had returned to their lives in a whirlwind of chaos and another family crisis. Only when the Mikealson's had a family crisis' they tended to hold many people's lives in the balance. Their business always put others at risk like gods playing a game of chess and using the other people around them as the pieces.

"I know you have never really liked Freya but she is our blood sister." Elijah said reading her face and Tesla's eyes flicked up to his. "She has helped."

"Oh I'm sure. "She said now not hiding her dislike of the woman "Freya, so eager to find her place with you."

"Freya and Davina have found a way to bind Klaus to the next person who goes to get him." Elijah said ignoring her previous remark about Freya.

"I'm still missing the part where I need to be here." She said standing up and walking to the corner of the room.

"For the spell the person needs to be close to him." Rebekah said

"I haven't seen him in ten years surely there is someone closer than me. " She said and looked over at them booth. They said nothing just looked at her rather uncomfortably. Elijah's hand went to the back of his neck in an unusual gesture of strain.

"You guys the faster we get through this the better so can we just all agree…" She started

"Romantically close." Rebekah said "Intimate."

"Ah." She said and tried to keep a straight face but couldn't and laughed hysterically. She chuckled for a good minute before letting out a happy sigh.

"You are the only one we could come to." Elijah said "There is another girl, Caroline, that runs the school in mystic falls but she can't leave the school for the rehabilitation period we are needing."

"First it's insulting to tell me that I was the second choice of Klaus' exes and second rehabilitation period?" She asked incredulously

"Just for a short time to make sure he integrates back into regular life." Rebekah speaks.

"What exactly does this spell entail?"

"It's a spell much like something Davina cast on our father keeping him tethered to a room. Only He will be tethered to you instead of an area. He won't be able to go very far from you and the spell will allow you to compel him of sorts." Elijah explained

"I'm interested." She said pacing back and fourth

"Davina can explain it." Rebekah said "All we needed to do was to get you and a physical object that tied you both together."

"Well here I am." Tesla said gesturing to herself "What object have you procured?"

Rebekah looked at her sadly and reached over to the nightstand by the bed. She opened a small drawer at the top and pulled out a red velvet ring box. Tesla's brown furrowed in confusion until Rebekah sat up and snapped the lid of the box open revealing a ring that sat securely in the center of it. The ring was gold with a two and a half carat ruby as dark as dying petals of a rose. The ruby was nestled in a circular ring of small sparkling diamonds. Tesla stared at the box remembering when she had set it down on the front porch railing next to Klaus' hand before she had said goodbye for the last time.

"Well that should do."

"We were expecting you to be more resistant." Elijah admitted

"You just told me that I will get to drag Klaus here against his will and he will have no choice but to come and obey what I say. Then I will get to keep him down here in this basement for a time and he won't be able to do much about it."

They looked at her expectantly and she gave them both a wicked grin

"There are few things I love more in this world than poetic justice."

 **Hope you enjoyed! Read and Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I do not own The Originals**

She waited for him outside the bar leaned up against his black sports car that he had parked across the street. She was glad that she could follow someone faster than a car because taking public transportation would have been a real hassle. After getting off the airplane at the airport the only transportation she had taken was a taxi to her hotel.

She wasn't overly familiar with Seattle. With as long as she had been alive one would imagine she would be but she had mostly visited as a tourist in the 80s. The city had changed drastically and she had no pipe dream of being able to navigate it from memory.

There were many technology improvements over the years she wasn't fond of but having a personal GPS in her ear wasn't one of them. Each of her wireless earbuds were in and turned to a setting called 'music' which allowed you to hear other people speak. There was a noise cancelling setting, a music setting and a GPS setting just to name a few. They connected wirelessly to her phone that was stored securely in a slouchy black canvas backpack slung across her back with a mass of button pins tacked on.

The bar was rather large and filled with people, mostly drunk, falling over each other and laughing. She could watch him discreetly from her perch and see him strategically picking his targets out of the crowd. His mischievous smile caused her heart to race in her chest. Though she could see him she reminded herself that from the shadows it would be hard to see her and he wouldn't even be looking. Though she would have to confront him sooner or later.

She played with the frayed edge of her worn denim jacket. She hated to admit it but she had dressed up for him. She mostly wished that the thought hadn't occurred to her then because a small part of her hated that she had. She had even gone to the nearest second hand store and gotten a new dress. It was a 90s small black and white floral print with a drop waist. She wore a new pair of fishnet stockings and her pair of classic maroon Doc Martins. She had put extra effort into her makeup and hair. She had scowled at herself while applying her eyeliner and throwing her curled hair into a high scrunchied ponytail.

"Leave it to him." She shook her head a little embarrassed at herself.

While she had been thinking of her own foolishness she had almost missed the moment of him walking out of the bar. His short blond curls caught the streetlamps light and she shook her head willing herself not to catch details. Behind him three women clung closely like groupies. She marveled at his arrogance. He needed three blood bags to be happy and he had picked the most desperate out of the crowd. She prayed he had compelled them and that they hadn't been stupid enough to just walk out of the bar with him.

 _You would probably walk out of there with him_

Her inner voice warred within her

 _Shut up._

One of them looked hardly old enough to drink and she scowled at him though he couldn't see her yet. She knew in her mind he was killing people that no one cared about. He probably even thought that he was doing humanity a favor by 'killing the strays' but that little girl would have family that missed her. She tried not to think of all the victims before her and instead thanked the stars that she had gotten there when she did.

He was coming up to be in her line of sight. She pressed her lips together and felt the weight of the ring on a chain that was tucked under her dress in preparation of what she was going to have to do. She silenced the Billy Joel playing in her ears with a small one word whisper and braced herself for the impact of Niklaus Mikealson. At that moment she thought the car was doing more holding her up than she was. She looked down at her boots hearing him approach.

"Excuse me love…" Klaus said sounding dangerous. The blood bender he had been on layered his voice with a drunken power "You will have to remove yourself from off my car or I will have the absolute pleasure of doing it for you."

She raised her head then with what she hoped was an even expression but she couldn't help the hint of a smile that played at the corners of her mouth.

"Is that a fact? She asked.

He stopped and said nothing as his eyes poured over her form leaning against his car.

"Speechless?" She asked smile now splaying over her face like sunrise that can't be held back anymore. "I do have that effect on people"

"Who's that?" a woman to his left asked. She was the young one and pretty in a hungry kind of way. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. Her blond hair hung around her face in crimped waves.

"She should join the party." Another girl said looking at Tesla like she wanted to devour her. Tesla gave her a smile but returned her gaze to Klaus.

"Your hair is different. " He said he sounded a little shocked and she was a little taken off guard that he hadn't lashed out.

"Did you expect it to be the same ten years later?" She asked

"I suppose it's just not how I remember you." He shrugged and it was as if the shrug took his relaxed demeanor with it. When he looked up at her again the danger she had heard in his voice earlier was etched across his face and promised in his devilish grin.

"Klaus…" She said in a hesitant tone getting ready for whatever was next.

"I knew my siblings would grow desperate." He said a mean edge to his words "I just never thought they would get this desperate."

"You know what they say about desperate times." She nodded "Desperate times call for reaching out to the crazy brother's ex-girlfriend that he hasn't seen in ten years. Yep, that's what they say."

"So they did call you." It wasn't a question but more of a mild accusation.

"I sure as hell wouldn't show up here on my own Klaus, I have better things to do with my time."

"I'm touched."

"I thought I could see you were getting teary but I didn't want to ruin your bad boy image by mentioning it."

"If my siblings have failed before you, how are you proposing to get me back?" He asked and at this point the three girls were looking between them confused as if they were caught in something they didn't know anything about. The young one had let go of his waist and stepped back.

"Oh I don't think my presence is going to persuade you to come home." She said looking up at the sky to stop from staring at him. "In fact I would imagine it would deter you from coming home. I could say that your siblings are worried but you wouldn't care. That Marcel misses you but we both know what a momentous lie that would be."

She looked back at him and his expression had flat lined. He didn't look as if he thought she was funny.

"I could tell you that Hope misses you." She said watching as her words played on a nerve. "But then again, you left her alone when her mother just died so do you even care about her either.

Anger flashed across his face as he tried to control his expression.

"I mean it wasn't enough that Hayley died, obviously your temper tantrum was more important than the death of your child's mother…" She waved her hand in the air

"Tesla…" It was a feral growl and the one and only warning she would get.

"And you know they should have known better than to believe that your word to that little girl meant anything."

He flew at her before she had a chance to move he had her by the throat. There were yelps from their audience and Tesla squelched any surprised sound that might escape.

"There is no need to be upset Klaus, All I'm saying is that I totally understand that your promise to protect and take care of Hope means absolutely nothing to you." She dredged the words up with pain on her own part knowing that they would wound him into an irrational frenzy

"I will protect her." He said and she ignored his protests.

"She would be lucky if you gave a damn about her when she is old enough to serve some purpose for you." She choked the words out as his grip on her throat got tighter. "Maybe that's the message I'll give her when I go back… Sorry Hope but your Dad doesn't care about you after all."

He bit into her neck then. It was savage and meant to make a point as the thrill of the pain shot through her. She closed her eyes against the sensation while it lasted. As soon as her blood hit his mouth Klaus collapsed in her arms unconscious just as Freya had promised. She gently lowered his body to the ground and began working quickly before the wound on her neck healed completely. She bit into his wrist and drank enough of his blood so that his werewolf bite wouldn't poison her.

Remembering Freya's instructions she removed the silver chain from around her neck and gripped the ring in her thumb and forefinger. She pressed the tops of the ring where the stones sat into her own injury coating it in blood before doing the same on Klaus' wrist. She then pulled a small buckskin pouch out of her jean jacket pocket. She pulled a pinchful of ashes out of the pouch and sprinkled them on top of the ring that was now covered in blood.

She remembered suddenly that she wasn't alone. She looked up slowly and was greeted by three horrified faces. It had all happened so fast and they hadn't moved but just stood in their individual spots shocked. She imagines how terrifying the sight of two people ripping into each other's flesh and one of them passing out cold would be. She smiled a closed mouth smile, as to not show her bloodied fangs, and nodded hoping she looked reassuring. She gave the three of them a thumbs up then not sure what she could do to make it better but not able to stop what she was doing for fear the spell wouldn't take.

"Did you kill him?" One of the two older ones shrieked at her.

Tesla pressed the ring into the palm of Klaus' right hand and watched it magically burn bright like a coal and left the burn imprint of its pattern on his skin; as fast as it had appeared it was gone. She took her own hand and did the same flinching a little as the ring burned the sensitive skin of her palm.

She stood up then and looked at the girls.

"No he's not dead."

"What the hell are you?" The younger girl asked and Tesla was surprised none of them had attempted to call the authorities.

Tesla picked Klaus up and pressed his thumb into the scanner to unlock his car. She was holding him like a child as she set him in the front passenger seat as if he weighed nothing. She strapped the seatbelt over him realizing that it had been a long time since she had been this close. She shut the car door and walked over to the drivers side.

Tesla looked at the three girls who had sort of gathered together, probably subconsciously.

"You really shouldn't go home with strangers." She said getting into the passenger side of the car. She shut the door on them as they continued to stare.

As she drove through the town with her personal navigation telling her where to go anticipating the two-day dive ahead. It was a forty-three-hour drive if you went straight through. She would need a little sleep so she was factoring that in.

"Call Rebekah" She said aloud and heard the dial tone ring through the car.

"Tesla?" The voice on the other line asked with some hesitation.

"I got him we are on our way." Tesla said pulling onto a freeway.

The line was silent, but she could hear the relief in it.

"Rebekah?" Tesla questioned

"yes, I'm here I'm just…"

"surprised that I am alive and that the plan worked?"

"Would it be bad if I said yes?"

Tesla laughed "Rebekah make Sure hope is there when we come home."

"She's already here."

"Tell her I cant wait to see that cute face of hers. Over and out."

She hung up at that and looked over to Klaus who was knocked out cold.

"How do you like me now Niklaus Mikealson?"


	4. Chapter 4

**I do not own the originals**

"This is your idea of romance?" Klaus asked her incredulously

"You are just the worst." Tesla said shaking her head.

"I take you to see St. Mark's Basilica in Venice and in turn you are driving me up through the middle of nowhere for what reason?" He asked

"There are places that you haven't been Klaus." She said

"Anything that is worth seeing I have undoubtedly seen." He said arrogantly

"Well if you don't like it it's not like it was a waste of life as you will live for eternity so can you just sit there without condescension dripping off every word?" She asked and looked over as he tried to keep from laughing at her

"You're trying to make me mad." She stated as he reached for her hand. She batted his away shook her head. She turned up the Etta James coming out of the car stereo.

They drove in silence as Klaus took in the Pine Trees and as the lake came into view he cocked his head to the side.

"I've been to many parts of California but I can't say I have visited this lake." He said very interested he rolled down the window.

"Hm." She said.

They had been playing a game now for about six months where they took turns taking each to there to their favorite places. They had gotten back from Venice and only been home for five day before Tesla whisked them off. Long enough to see Rebekah and Elijah. They had taken Hope to Venice with them even though Hayley had been nervous. The little four year old was surprisingly acclimated to her strange family life. Hope called her 'T-la' which was just fine with her. She called Hayley mom and Klaus Dad. It all seemed very normal from the outside.

The sun sank lower and lower in the sky and Tesla sped a little to get to their destination before the sunset. They pulled into a beach parking lot and she was pleased to see that the parking lot was empty. Her favor had come through after all. It was normally a very popular beach but there was no one to be seen and she smiled then very proud of herself. She pulled into a parking sport very close to the beach entrance.

As she got out of the car the rays of the sun touched and warmed her skin. There was nothing like the sun at the beach somehow it was different than regular sun. She went to the back of the car and grabbed the beach bag and the picnic basket she had packed. She grabbed a plastic bag and threw it at Klaus in the front seat. He looked back at her before opening the bag.

"What are these?" He asked pulling out a pair of tan men's flip flops

"Sandals."

"I don't wear sandals." He shook his head dropping them back in the bag.

"You want me to list all the things I didn't want to do in Venice, but it was your trip." She reminded him

"I don't care whose trip this is. These items are ridiculous and I am above them."

"You're above a pair of sandals?"

He just stared back at her stoically

"I know you've worn at least one pair of sandals."

Still the staring continued.

"Well do what you want but I'm taking my own plastic bag and I'm going down to the beach where I have planned a very nice meal for us on the beach. If you don't want to come then fine. We both know I can eat for two." She got out of the car and shut the door.

Down at the beach she set out a large blanket and weighed it down. She set the picnic basket in the middle and pulled a plastic bag out of the beach bag she had packed. They had stopped at a swim shop before they had gone here and she had made Klaus stay in the car. She had picked up a simple mauve colored two piece bikini for herself and some cheap black flip flops. She took the suit out of the bag and put it on quickly though there were no people for her to worry about. She stuffed her clothes back into the bag and felt the glory of the sun on her.

She walked to the edge of the water and put her feet in the cold water. She closed her eyes against the feel of the sand. There were some things that just never got old.

She heard him come and turned to see him.

He had changed into his plain black swim shorts and was still wearing the long sleeved grey shirt he had on before. He dropped some of his personal items on the blanket and looked around taking in the sight. He nodded appreciatively. She smiled at his bare feet.

Too good for flip flops.

He peeled his shirt off and she watched his every move not bothering to hide the fact that she was enjoying herself. He still had his hipster glasses on as he walked to where she was at the edge of the water.

"If you wanted to see me half naked all you had to do was say so Love." He said looking out over the lake as the sun hit the mountains.

"Don't tempt me." She replied walking deeper into the water. She reached one of hands out to him. He looked at it suspiciously but took it anyway.

He had a right to be suspicious because she used it as leverage to pull him down into the water. She scarified herself during this attack and they both were submerged under water. He kicked away from her and she swam out further into deeper water.

"Where do you think you're going?' She heard him say and yelped trying to swim faster. Klaus was better at most things than other people. He had thousands of years of practice. He was good at everything except dealing with people he loved.

He inevitably caught up to her and dragged her under the water as she yelled. She bobbed back up and searched for him as she tread water to find her looking at her dangerously from a few feet away. She laughed happily.

"You owe me a pair of glasses." He said and she realized he must have lost them in the take down.

"I'll be sure to get right on that." She said floating on her back. The sun had gone down and the water was beautiful in the dusk

"You hungry?" She asked swimming back to shore. She didn't wait for an answer before she got out of the water and headed toward the blanket.

Before she reached the destination he came out of the water and came up on the beach wrapping his arms around her. He lifted her and play bit her shoulder lightly. He set her down and she turned around in his arms. She wasn't cold even though the water had been. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his mouth to hers. She was on fire and all thought of cold water was wiped from her brain. His hands moved up her back and one wound its way through her wet hair.

"This is nice." He said against her cheek

"You mean it wasn't the giant disappointment? Like you originally accused?"

"You don't disappoint me." He said and she soaked in the praise. It was few and far between.

She pulled away from him and pulled two towels in out of the bag and handed one to him and wrapped the other around herself. She took out a two lanterns she had brought and set them up for them to enjoy.

She took out their cheese board that she had pre put together. They picked on it for about thirty minutes talking about their favorite parts of Venice.

"Do you think Hope enjoyed the architecture?' he asked her

"I think Hope enjoyed the Gelato" She chuckled

"What did you most enjoy?" He asked. She thought about it for a moment before answering

"Watching you show hope something that you love." She said "The care that you take with her is beautiful and that you wanted her to love it was endearing to watch.

He said nothing but instead stood up and walked around to her side of the blanket. He knelt next to her and leaned down to kiss her. He pushed her down and into the blanket and sand below and looked down into her face. She was slightly uncomfortable with him scrutinizing her.

"I love you." He said and she froze. It wasn't something he had ever said before. Four years of being together and he had never once mentioned love. She would say it frequently but he never reciprocated the feeling in words.

"Why?" She said slightly horrified and he smiled down at her in her distress.

"I simply do." He said "is that not enough?"

"Yes, she breathed out. It's enough." And she pulled him down to her.

* * *

Tesla's eyes fluttered open and she was greeted by Klaus leaning over her.

"Ooh my God" She said sitting up quickly and her breath quickened "You scared me she said"

"My deepest sympathies." He asked sitting back in his seat

"For some reason…" She said setting the seat back up slowly that she had leaned back to the upright position. "That apology seems insincere"

"Can we go" He asked "Or would you prefer to continue your nap in this grocery store parking lot."

"So grouchy." She said cracking her neck. She felt something odd on the front of her throat. She reached up to find dried blood on her neck and shirt. She pointed down to it and shook her head at him.

"Where are your manners?" She asked as he absently rubbed the magical burn on his palm.

She realized he must have tried to hurt her. She liked to think he wasn't trying to kill her but it was possible. She was glad Freya had been right when she said the spell wouldn't allow him to inflict pain on her. He would have probably also tried to leave but he was only allowed within a 150 foot radius from Tesla.

She looked at him and a grin came across her face "oh please tell me it hurt."

"You are going back from whatever hole you came from once you return me to my siblings?" He looked at her unimpressed

"No such luck baby cake?" She started the car "You'll have to bring that one up with your big brother."


	5. Chapter 5

**I do not own The originals**

"Can you just…" Tesla said exasperated at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the Mikealson's house.

She stared into the car where Klaus was sitting in the car with a pouty little boy face on. He was refusing to get out of the car and she was tired from the road trip and wanted a glass of something wonderful.

"Listen we are here, you already lost what is eve n the point in this last stand?" She asked but he just stared directly at her without moving "You are being childish."

She walked up one stair and turned around.

"Come here boy" She said whistling and patting her legs "Come on little wolf boy. Come." She mocked

He was out of the car and on top of her before she could turn to run. He had taken her and pinned her to the side of the house where both his hands pressed her shoulders against the paneling.

"Who's a good boy?" She asked smiling against his rage. His eyes burned and she knew that she would be seriously injured right now if not for Freya. She made a note to thank her later.

Niklaus was still the most handsome man that she had ever seen. Though she would withstand many torture sessions before saying so. His blue eyes sometimes hurt to look at and his mouth that was always twisted into a wicked grin made her crazy. She tried to shake the feeling of him against her.

His train of thought didn't seem to be following hers as hated flashed across his face and his fangs protruded.

"Dad?" They both her and he was off of her faster than he had been on her.

Hope came running down the stairs her brown hair bouncing as she ran to meet her father. She looked so much like Hayley that it hurt Tesla's heart a little to see her. She had grown up to be such a lovely young woman. Her mother's beautiful hair and skin and her father's devilish eyes.

She watched as she hugged her father tightly and it felt almost worth it that she had spent the last day in the car with the man. She left them alone for a moment as she walked up the stairs and into the house.

"Tesla!" Davina shouted. She turned at embraced her. The young girl that she had known was gone and a woman stood before her. Though she had hardly aged. Witches had the fortunate gift of a very very very long life. Davina didn't look much older than she had before but she felt older.

"Sweetness." She greeted.

"You're here." Rebekah said a little shocked

"Can you not sound like you expected me to die?" She asked letting go of Davina

"Where is Niklaus?" Elijah asked as all the family started filtering though all doorways of the entry parlor.

"He's here." She pointed outside. "I know mutts are cheaper to come by but maybe next time spring for a purebred I hear they don't give you as many problems"

Rebekah's mouth flicked into a grin.

"God I missed you." A voice came to her and Marcel appeared in the corner

"My love." She said smiling and walking up to him to hug him. Marcel was one of her oldest and only friends. He felt like comfort and home. His and Rebekah's relationship was always a little rocky but Tesla had always thought they belonged together. One day they would figure everything out. A vampires forever was a long time.

"This calls for a celebration!" Marcel said walking out of the room

"The prodigal returns." She shook her head nodding at Kol and Freya in the corner. Two of the siblings she had never been very close too. After they brought Kol back from the dead and Freya showed up to claim her place in the family Tesla had already gotten used to the small little circle she had been accustomed to.

She walked over to Elijah who was standing alone. It was a sad sight to see him without Hayley. He was often alone before her and she thought that perhaps he wouldn't have to be anymore. Now, standing away from everyone else he looked lonelier than he ever had.

"I am grateful to you." He said to Tesla as she leaned against a wall next to him.

"I did it for selfish reasons Elijah, you don't have to thank me."

"Even so." He nodded

"Klaus will not be happy about the downstairs arrangement." She stated casually "his temper hasn't gone away and he seemed as if he wished I were dead the entire time we were in the car."

"He'll have to learn to live with it."

"I don't know if you remember what Klaus is like…" She trailed off "if Klaus Ain't happy Ain't nobody happy."

"I will deal with my brother." He assured her

"Like you dealt with going to get him?" She asked and he looked at her as if he were already getting tired of her.

The door opened then and Klaus and Hope came in the front door.

"She looks so much like her." Tesla whispered to him

"She does. Her beauty lives on."

"Inside and out I'm sure" She said and affectionately reached over and squeezed his hand.

"Indeed."

It was more than a little awkward as Klaus came through the door to be greeted by people he hadn't seen I years. The humor of it was not lost on Tesla who wished she could burst out laughing but it seemed a little tasteless. They all stared at him as the room went silent. It was silent for too long of a time before Tesla stood herself up

"I could use a drink." She said.

"I've got that covered." She heard Marcel say from upstairs. He came down with three champagne bottles in tow

Atlanta sat on her bed downstairs unpacking her things that she hadn't gotten a chance to before. She pulled things from the duffle bag and smoothed them out best she could before putting them in a small dresser in the small room.

The house had almost emptied after a short greeting party.

She felt so out of touch with all the people that she had once been close to. Davina and Kol were getting married in a few days. She had known that because their invitation was hanging on her fridge at home. She hadn't planned on going but if she was around in the next couple days she would. Davina and Kol had gone to do some wedding getting together. Elijah Rebekah and Marcel had also left not saying where they were going. Freya had always been a lone wolf and hadn't even stayed long enough to have a glass of champagne before she had left.

That only left Klaus, Hope and Tesla.

She realized they needed some time to themselves, so she preoccupied herself.

"Are you here to fight me?" She asked to Klaus who had come down the stairs and was now standing in the opening of the bedroom door from the wine cellar. "I'm not really dressed for it."

He didn't say anything just walked past her into his own room. She listened as he shuffled around and then ended up sitting in the chair to the left of the room. She stopped folding her clothes and listened to him silently.

"How long will you stay?" He asked in a low voice knowing she could hear him.

"Until Elijah tells me to go." She equally said equally quietly

"How did they get you to come here? To come for me?" He asked. Her hands tightened on the drawer.

Saying the bargain that she had made with Elijah and Rebekah out loud made her feel week and slightly mean. She realized she was ashamed to admit to him what she was getting from this.

"Rebekah just asked." She responded

"Blind loyalty" He responded and she shot him a look that she wished he could see through the brick "We must instill that in people."

"Don't confuse you with Rebekah and Elijah….Actually just Elijah." She stated "Elijah promotes loyalty in people."

"The golden son."

"The decent son." She quipped. There was a long pause after that. Klaus hated being compared to Elijah.

"Hope went to get us dinner." He responded "Due to my…restraint"

"You've been placed under house arrest." She chuckled now in a regular tone of voice. "My how the tables have turned."

"Is that why you agreed to this?" He asked stepping into her room and she turned to him smiling "revenge?"

"I would be lying if I said that it didn't appeal to a small part of me."

"How depraved." He smiles accent hanging on his words like and extra coating charm.

"You do bring out the worst in me" she agreed "some things never change."

She left the drawer open and went to walk out of the room. She couldn't banter like this with him for long and listen to him talk. There was a reason she had moved to California. He was the reason that she wanted to sever ties with the family. It was too easy to be suckered back into falling for him.

Before she made it up the second step he caught her by the wrist and pulled her down. He trapped her against the wall. With his hands on either side of her head. It wasn't a threating stance.

"We have to stop meeting like this." She said "people will talk."

"I can hear you heart race." He stated

"What will the neighbors think?"

"Every time I touch you I can see the way you look at me, only a blind person could ignore it."

"I ought to say no no no sir, at least I'm going to say that I tried." She sang

"What's the sense in hurting my pride?" He responded and her eyes opened wide. Klaus didn't often understand her pop culture references. "Dean Martin?" He questioned "You're getting rusty"

"The only thing rusty around here is, but what can I expect from someone thousands of years old, your flirting skills should be in a museum"

"You still fancy me." He smiled at her "You came back for me…. Not for Elijah or Rebekah"

Her eyes narrowed at him though she couldn't stop her pulse that beat in a rhythm that betrayed her. So instead she leaned in close to whisper something in his ear.

"Get behind me, Satan."

She fluidly ducked under his arm and hurried up the stairs without looking back. She heard a car pulling up and she hoped that it was Hope coming home. She told herself that she couldn't be trapped alone with him anymore.

Hope did come through the door with bags of food.

"I smell Italian." Tesla said smiling rushing to her to take a couple bags

"I got you spaghetti carbonara." Hope said smiling at her a little hesitantly

"That's my favorite." She said back to the girl walking toward the staircase up to the kitchen

"I know." She smiled "Klaus told me."

"Of course he did." She said making her way up the stairs "That's great."


	6. Chapter 6

**I do not own the originals**

"All I'm saying is that I feel like two full days have done him a world of good and I see no reason that I need to stay." She all but pleaded with Elijah.

"Are you that unhappy here?"

"No I'm not unhappy at all Elijah." She exhaled "That's most of the problem."

"Being happy here is the problem?" He asked fixing his tie though it wasn't crooked to begin with.

"I just." She said sitting down on his bed exasperated

"Not five hours ago you tormented Klaus by saying you might stay for an extended visit." He reminded her

"That was to piss him off there was absolutely nothing true about that. It was a threat."

Elijah chuckled turning around to look at her.

"Tesla, I won't keep you prisoner here as Klaus has before, go anytime you wish. You have done what I asked and you should feel no obligation to me for anything else. It was unfair of me to ask you to stay. So if you wish to go I won't stand in your way."

She laid back on the bed sprawling now.

"But?" She questioned

"I have nothing to add." He said looking at him again in the mirror.

"Do you need help with your boutonniere?" She asked standing up

"If you would" He said gesturing to a fresh pin of two single roses. One was snow white and the other was such a dark red it was almost black both were wrapped in a black satin ribbon. His suit was classic and sharp just like Elijah. She walked up to him and took up the flowers to pin to his lapel.

"if I were to add anything…" He said and she let out a groan as she smiled at her "It would only be to say that you add a certain something to our house."

"I've only been here three days." She pointed out.

"I mean to our family Tesla." He said forcing her to look into his eyes with his gaze.

"Why couldn't I have fallen in love with you?" She asked looking back down at his pin "So civilized"

"You're a huntress Tesla, you would have caught me too easy."

"Please, you only had eyes for Hayley."

"My eyes drifted to you several times before Hayley and I had our chance at love."

"Elijah Mikealson." She raised an eyebrow up at him surprised. "I'm shocked at you."

"Nicklaus is a fool." He said warmly.

She looked up into his eyes still shocked at the confession. He looked down at her and she slid her hand behind his neck and stretched up to kiss him briefly. His mouth was warm and it kissed her back but the rush of closeness wasn't there. There wasn't the urgency and passion instead it was just slow and warm and safe. Tesla guessed that she would only ever be satisfied by the shiver inducing kiss of another immortal being. She pulled back from him and stepped away.

"Perhaps in another life." He suggested

"I do not think we were destined to be star crossed lovers." She smiled leaning against his dresser. She raised her eyebrows at his perfectly made bed that had wrinkles from where she had laid on it. "But perhaps casual bedmates?"

"You are worth more than the flippant night partner." He said as if he were lecturing her

"Prude." She said pushing off the dresser

"You women from the twenties" He shook his head "So sexually promiscuous."

"Please." She said "I've met you family. Over a thousand years you seem to have adapted to promiscuity."

"Maybe so."

"You look very handsome." She assured him

"You aren't wearing that to the wedding?" He asked her. She gave him a look.

"No I'm not wearing oversized men's boxers and a hole ridden t-shirt to the wedding. Which should have been made obvious to you by the curlers still setting in my hair."

"I'm never quite sure about your sense of style."

"Well I never." She said exiting his room and winking before she left.

She started to sort out in her mind when she would leave. If she had Elijah's blessing she could leave whenever she please but as she suspected her knew there was more holding her there than that.

She made her way down to her room where she took the curlers out of her hair. She pulled her hair up into a high voluminous curly ponytail. She saw the smallest starting of her dark brown hair coming in through her hair and she made a mental note to find a salon here in the city. She put on her makeup and set a modest pair of false eyelashes in place. She had taken Hope shopping with her as she hadn't packed anything formal enough for the wedding. Hope insisted on the false eyelashes. It had been a long time since Tesla had worn them. She set them into place with a mascara and nodded at her handiwork.

She took an evening length deep green velvet dress off its hanger in the bathroom. It had thin straps and deep V neckline that showed off the choker she was wearing which was studded with dark sparkling stones. She slid the dress on and went to sit on her bed to put her shoes on.

"You almost ready Tesla?" Hope called down the stairs.

"Yes Darling I'll be up in a minute." She called back. She put on some suede chunky heels with a single strap on her toes and one on her ankle. "I think I remember how to walk in these" she assured her first step.

She put in simple black diamond studs and swiped dark plum lipstick over her mouth. She nodded and with one last look in the mirror she headed up the stairs.

She saw hope first wearing a floor length taupe colored satin dress that rippled like silk with a think sheer material over the top. Tesla smiled getting flashes of Hayley in the girls smile. Her hair cascaded around her loosely.

"Oh Hope you look lovely." She said squeezing the girls arm.

"You do too." She said smiling back "I told you the fake eyelashes would work out"

"Yes I feel as if I am weight training for the eyelid championships but for the sake of beauty we suffer."

They walked into the front parlor together.

"You put them on so well" The girl noticed "I had to get Aunt Rebekah to do mine for me."

"I should have thought of that." Tesla nodded "She's good under pressure."

She looked up and realized that while they had been talking Klaus had been staring at the both of them. As he caught her attention he made no attempt to hide the fact that he was looking at her. Taking her in was the better description of what h was doing.

"Enjoying the view?" She asked without thinking

"It's just nice to see you dressed up, not like your usual delinquent street clothes."

"You don't look terrible either." She said realizing that he had meant it as a compliment. He was wearing a black suit with a grey plaid running through it. The left side of his mouth quirked up as she looked him over

"Get a room." Hope said rolling her eyes and walking past both of them to the front door.

"Do you have a room available?" He asked her in a low tone

"Get on out." She said shaking her head and walking out the front door behind Hope.

He seemed to be trying to tear down her defenses. Just when she thought she was getting under his skin by being here and refusing to leave he didn't seem bothered in the slightest. He always seemed one step ahead of her.

It was one of the most beautiful weddings that she had ever been to. It had been held in an old church and the isles had been laden with lanterns and lush branches of bay leaves. The old wooden pews against the concrete floors and the candles that were lit all around was a truly magical sight.

The Priest of the church had presided over the ceremony. Kol wore a dark blue tuxedo and he looked rather handsome as he always did. Davina was the bright sun among the ceremony in a corseted ball gown with a skirt completely made of hundreds of layers of tulle. It was perfect in every way and it was absolutely her.

Now as the small group sat outside in the courtyard with lights twinkling above in the dark sky and music playing as people danced it was truly an excellent reception to match the wedding.

She was sipping a gin cocktail on the outskirts of the seating watching as people dances. Some people she knew and some people she didn't. They laughed and circled about. Even the Mikealson's cheered and danced and if you looked hard enough you could see them smiling.

She leaned up against her designated tree and enjoyed watching them all. Davina had changed into a shorter more comfortable dress and most people danced barefoot on the concrete dancefloor.

"Won't you join us?" Elijah came up to her silently as always.

"I'm quite enjoying my perch." She said sipping her drink

"It is a rather excellent view."

"If I were being honest I would have to say that I never expected any of you to be married." She mused "Maybe you I would have pictured but Kol was perhaps the last one on my list of suspects."

"Love changes even the hardest of things." He admitted "Though I am surprised it wasn't you and Klaus."

"You can't be serious?" She asked

"Can't I?" He turned to her and to her horror his eyes were full of knowing. He knew the one thing that she was ashamed of in all the world. The one thing she had avoided them for ten years over. His eyes knew her secret and she couldn't think of anything to say.

"Did you think he would tell no one?" He asked

"I thought he might keep it to himself, to keep up his reputation." She mumbled looking away guilt washing over her like a crashing wave breaking against the rocks.

"He didn't tell it willingly." He said to her and then there was long silence as they watched the group together.

"What is it that you are thinking Elijah?" She felt as if she were begging him for some sort of justification.

"I'm thinking of how lovely you look and how unfortunate it is that I turned you offer of companionship down."

She laughed surprised.

"You are one of my very favorite people in all of the world Elijah Mikealson."

"Will you dance with an old friend?" He asked holding his hand out to her.

She smiled and dumped the contents of her glass into the dirt taking his hand. She set the glass down on a table as they passed. They came halfway into the song L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole. Elijah danced with her and they waltzed around the dancefloor.

She hadn't remembered being this happy in a long time. She didn't make friends in California and it was a lonely life. Here she felt like she had people that understood her or at least people that wanted her around.

When the song ended she was surprised to see Klaus put his hand on Elijah's shoulder. Etta James I'd rather go blind started to play and Tesla watched Kol Sweep Davina off her feet into a warm embrace.

"May I?" Klaus asked Elijah looked to Tesla who nodded at him.

Klaus stepped in and pulled her close. They swayed to Etta James and she focused on the lights around her instead of his hand on her back.

"Did you enjoy the wedding?" He asked low in her ear and she shivered.

"Do you mean to torment me?"

"I thought it was you who was tormenting me." He stated "after all it isn't me keeping you here."

"Not this time." She said smiling

"Not this time" He echoed smiling at her

"It's not terrible." She admitted "Being back"

"It was your choice" He reminded her and for the second time that night she felt the guilt of ten years ago come over her. "to leave"

"Yes." She accepted.

"They seemed to miss you." He noted looking at the rest of his family.

"It is nice to be missed." She said smiling up as his as her bare feet danced across the cold concrete. "You have no idea how nice it is to be missed."

"Perhaps I do." He mused

"Oh?"

"Did you miss me desperately" He asked leaning in and whispering in her ear again.

"What would you like to hear? That I did and that I have been pining after you ever since or that I didn't and am as cold hearted as you?"

"I should like to hear…" He paused "the truth"

"The truth." She sighed out as it was a much bigger request than she was ready for "is that I would not have come back if I hadn't"

 **Hoped you enjoyed! read and review for me people!**


	7. Chapter 7

**I do not own The originals**

"So?" Hope asked from across the Kitchen sitting on a barstool swiveling back and forth.

"So." Tesla responded with a smirk. She had been answering Hope's questions all morning. She didn't mind the girl as she was direct and brash; two characteristics Tesla thought were qualities.

"No boyfriend?" She asked but it wasn't a question more like an accusation.

Tesla stopped stirring her pancake batter to add more buttermilk. She looked across the kitchen at the girl pointedly raising an eyebrow at her. Both of them Knew Klaus was most likely listening to their conversation. He was overprotective of Hope and seemed to want to keep close tabs on Tesla as well. He was noticeably nervous that the two had hit it off and started spending more time together.

"Not currently" Tesla answered shortly but had to give the girl credit.

"Not currently of not for the last ten years?" Hope asked and Tesla opened her mouth in a mixture of shock horror and being impressed.

"No, nosy one. I have not had a steady boyfriend in ten years. What do you take on your pancakes" She changed the subject pouring batter onto the preheated griddle.

"Butter and strawberry syrup." The girl said "Ten years is a long time."

"Ten years is nothing in the face of eternity."

"It still seems like a long time not to have a boyfriend."

"listen Little one, I am one hundred and twenty years old ten years is nothing and I didn't even notice not being in a relationship all those years because ten years goes by like this. " Tesla said snapping her fingers.

"Or you were spending those ten years missing my dad." The girl said and Tesla shook her head at her. She was doing on purpose knowing full well who would hear her. Judging from the smile on Hope's face she thought it was rather funny.

"Well what without you?" Tesla asked "boyfriend?"

Hope opened her mouth to speak but Tesla didn't give her the chance.

"I can see by those flushing cheeks that you do have a special someone." She said and hope narrowed her eyes. Tesla took the grocery shopping list and pencil text to it and scribbled on the back while she was talking "Are you sexually active? What am I saying? Of course you are."

Hope grin split her face and she held back a giggle.

"Just be sure to use protection now, especially with those bad boys."

Tesla held up the piece of paper with the message she had written: _Two can play this game._

Hope burst into a fit of laughter and the door to the kitchen swung open and Klaus walked in rather casually. Tesla crumpled the paper she was holding and stuffed it into the pocket of one of her jeans. Hope stifled her laughter when Klaus came in.

"Just in time for breakfast. " Tesla said flipping a slightly overbrowned pancake. He raised an eyebrow at her and looked from hope to her a few times before sitting on the bar stool next to Hope's.

With Kol and Davina on their month long honeymoon to Bora Bora and Marcel and Rebekah only coming by during the day the house was rather quiet. Elijah kept to himself and spent most of the days away making the Mikealson family fortune as he always did. Finn was also not a bother as he was daggered in the upstairs room.

"When do you go back to school sweetness?" Tesla asked her plating the pancake after several seconds of silence.

"Caroline gave me two weeks off for Kol and Davina's wedding."

"Sounds like an understanding teacher."

"She knows my family from a long time ago." Hope said looking at Klaus "though she won't tell me how."

Klaus' eyes met Tesla's and she smiled reading his gaze and the way his eyes shifted away from Hope's

"Lots of people know your family." Tesla dismissed "they've been around for a while, no doubt the Mikealson's had their fun tormenting the town of mystic falls before you were born. In fact." She said handing the girl a buttered and syruped pancake. "Your mother told me lots of stories about Mystic falls, it's where she first met your father and Elijah."

"Really?" Hope asked suddenly very interested "What did she used to say?"

Tesla bit the inside of her cheek trying to think of something from her and Hayley's conversations that she could use. From what she could gather Hayley had been involved with a werewolf Tyler who was also involved with the Woman Caroline who ran the school. Klaus had been there for murdering purposes as he often was and had many run in's with Caroline's previous husband and his previous girlfriend. Tesla had always been quite confused by the tales of Mystic Falls and wished they would have written a book so she could keep track.

"Well, your dad and your Mom had sort of an angry chemistry." She said smiling at Hope "That's never stopped, it was always like that between them, always at each other's throats."

"But they had me." Hope said smiling. She looked as if she were soaking all the information in. Tesla understood why the Mikealson's kept some of the past a secret but the girl seemed deprived and Tesla had little to offer her.

"Oh yes, you were well loved much before you were born." She smiled She looked to Klaus whoes gaze held a low warning.

"Your uncle Elijah thought you would be the savior of your family and in many ways you were."

"What was my mom like when you met her?" Hope asked and Tesla saddened at the tears in the girls eyes.

"Oh she was so lovely, you look just like her" Tesla remembered meeting Hayley for the first time "I actually broke into her room on accident the first time I met her. Pregnant with you and everything she looked ready to kill me."

"She was strong" Hope said proudly

"and patient' Tesla said sliding two pancakes onto a plate for Klaus "to put up with your Uncle and Dad. She slid two pancakes covered in butter and drizzled with honey over to Klaus and flipped two more on the griddle.

"She always said that you were really good friends." Hope said polishing her pancakes off by licking some syrup off her thumb.

"We were." Tesla said

"I remember going on trips with you.' Hope said a little quieter now "When I was little, to Paris"

"We had fun in Paris." Tesla said remembering the trip with five year old Hope 'We went to Venice too and the Grand Canyon."

"I have pictures in my room at school." Hope smiled walking her plate to the sink

"Take these to your uncle" She said handing Hope a plate of two pancakes with just butter and a black cup of coffee. "Then hurry back or we will miss our appointment. "

Hope took them silently and left the kitchen up the stairs to Elijah's room.

"Hope has generously allowed me to commandeer her hair appointment." Tesla explained though she doubt Klaus even cared. "Would you care to join us?"

Freya had made it so that their tether was broke within the house. They could roam as they pleased and Tesla could even leave and Klaus could remain in the house without her.

"It seems I have to stay with you to keep her head out of the past." He said and she was genuinely surprised to hear a fair amount of anger in his voice. She turned with brows knit together.

"You don't want me to talk about Hayley?" She asked curious

"The past serves no purpose." He said dismissively

"Maybe not to an all-powerful immortal with his head in the sand." She said taking a bite of her stack of pancakes how god intended them to be eaten, with maple syrup

"She doesn't need to hear how Hayley's life was before her because all that matters is now." He said aggressively.

Tesla didn't respond but instead just looked at Klaus unflinchingly chewing slowly.

"You miss her." She stated "you're grieving its normal.'

He frowned

"Hayley was the mother of your child and Elijah's love for years Klaus of course you are going to miss her."

"It isn't about her." He said standing up abruptly "it's about you coming into our lives and acting as if you belong"

She realized that what she had struck a nerve and she braced herself for the onslaught of backlash that brought.

"You are not a part of this family. You don't belong her and it's better that Hope realizes it now than when it's too late." His voice dipped low and she felt the sting of accusation.

"When you leave her without so much as a word and disappear for years." He said turning from her "When she feels the special sort of betrayal that you offer." And without another word he walked out of the kitchen.

"I'm guessing that's a no on the salon then." She said but there was no real heart to the joke.

* * *

The hair salon was always a stressful place for Tesla to be. She always wanted to do one hundred different things and never had any idea what she wanted to do. She still hadn't decided while the woman was washing her hair with Shampoo that smelled like pink grapefruit. The smell surrounded her as she thought of the possibilities.

"What did your hair look like in the fifties?" Hope asked her from the chair over. Tesla glanced around quickly but none of the girls were even paying attention to them.

"I had my natural hair color and I had Bettie bangs. Audrey Hepburn wore her hair in a ponytail with short bangs and I just loved her so that's mostly how I kept my hair for years." She smiled remembering.

"I just love the fifties, it seemed like everyone tried harder." Hope said flipping some of her hair up to mimic short bangs.

"Each generation had had their pros and cons." Tesla laughed.

Her stylist came back with a book of hair colors and Tesla flipped through it casually as Hope leaved over to look.

"Like this?" Hope pointed to a pecan brown color

"Just like that." Tesla said fingering the lock of synthetic hair. She got nostalgic all of the sudden and held the book up to the woman pointing to the brown.

"Really?" Hope asked excited

"It's time the fifties made a comeback." Tesla decided "I'm also going to make you go to a diner for lunch, to bad I got rid of all my circle skirts."

"Oh there a great fifties diner in the middle of town with the black and white floor and the rockabilly music and everything." Hope said sitting back in her chair excitedly.

"It's a date little sister"

"We could go get dad before we go and make it a dinner thing?" Hope asked hopefully.

"Okay okay don't get ahead of yourself, your father is currently very irritated with me and I don't he will want to go."

"He won't say no if I ask him." Hope said confidently

"Damn." Tesla said again impressed with the girl "Alright you get him to go and we can do it."

* * *

She had gotten Klaus to do it of course and now Tesla was scrounging around for her diamond stud earrings in the bottom of her bag. With her newly dyed hair and short fringe bangs she had snatched up a black retro aline swing dress at a second hand store that Hope had known about. When she looked in the mirror with red lips and black eyeliner she was taken back to her years in the fifties.

"I love it" Hope exclaimed when she saw her.

"I don't look a day over forty" Tesla joined and winked at Klaus whose mouth flicked into small smile. Hope was wearing a letterman jacket and had done victory rolls in her hair.

"Those aren't easy." Tesla pointed out

"I'm a little obsessed with the era." Hope admitted. She had gotten a single strip of her hair bleached out to almost white right in the front. She had said that it was after a comic book character that she loved from the x-men comics. Tesla thought she remembered something like it from the movies but she had never been a comic book fan. Her white blond streak wound its way through one of her victory rolls.

When they got to the diner Hope immediately got up with five dollars in change to pick the songs for the foreseeable future. Tesla looked over her menu and glanced up to find Klaus staring at her.

"What?" She asked defensively

"You look…" He said faltering "Human"

"I didn't look human before?" She asked

"You've always looked like there is something different about you." She sat back and eyed her "like a bit otherworldly"

"Like and alien?" She chuckled "Brown hair has taken me back down to human"

"I can see what you looked like when you were human." He said leaning forward "I have never been able to see it before quite like this. You look innocent and beautiful."

"Maybe I'll use it as a ploy for my enemies" She smiled looking back down at her menu. Though what he said bothered her and it was probably why he had said it. The way that he pulled her apart and put her back together was unbearable. Just when she thought she was glad she hadn't seen him in ten years he said something like this. He was like an emotional bouncing ball one minute he was upset and the next he was calling her beautiful.

"You're heart just started beating a little faster." He pointed out

"You're like a terrible drug." She said behind the menu. "I just got my ten year sobriety chip."

"Do you really want to live your life sober, love?" He asked with a smile in his voice


	8. Chapter 8

**I do not own the originals**

 **I'm sorry this took so long!**

She sat on her bed down stairs while Hope and Klaus ate upstairs. She was trying to give them as much space as she could while she was there which left her alone in her room often enough to have read a couple books.

She was currently practicing Tarot card reading on herself with a new pack of cards she had picked up at a shop after she Klaus and Hope had dinner. Some habits never died. The deck was fairy tale themed and the illustrations were so vivid and sad and very beautiful that she was enjoying turning them over and inspecting the pictures.

She was so engrossed that she barley gave him a second glance when he came down stairs. She was investigating the Wheel of fortune card which aptly had a picture of sleeping beauty on the card with metallic golden hair and pale pink skin in a dark green dress that was snagged in a thicket of thorns while she was sleeping. Over the whole image was a stenciled spindle wheel.

"Where's Hope?" She asked not looking up. She heard the clanking of his personal bar and assumed he was pouring himself a drink. "I'll take a double if you're feeling generous." She half joked not even expecting him to reply.

"She went out." He replied and she looked up from her cards to see him enter her section of the adjoining rooms. He sat next to her on her bed and handed her one of two glasses. He had already been pouring her a drink when she had asked. Just like old times.

"Does that make you worried dad?" She asked chuckling to herself

"I tell myself that if she doesn't get into as much trouble as I have gotten into then she is doing well for herself."

"Way to set the bar so low she can't help but succeed." She smiled at him taking a sip of the spicy bourbon in her glass.

"Yes well I can't have expectations too high." He agreed "With this family"

It seemed he was making a joke which was few and far between. She smiled at him and continued to look at her cards.

"Will you do a reading?" He asked casually.

"On you?" She asked curiously. Tarot reading was one of his least favorite hobbies of hers.

He looked around the room as if to ask _**who else?**_

"Unless you've lost your touch." He taunted "Though you were never as good as you thought you were.

"Easy." She said moving her things off the bag and gathering the cards up to shuffle them.

"Where is the deck Davina gave you?" He asked. She stopped and looked over at him. They both knew that she always kept them with her but hardly ever used them. Cards spelled by a witch were no joke, especially a witch as powerful as Davina.

"Why?" She asked adjusting her black sweatpants and grey crop top to be more presentable.

"Well if we are going to do this we may as well do it right?" He said

"I don't really…" She said hoping he would change his mind though she knew he wouldn't

"Oh come now, you think I can't handle a few paper cards and the reading of my future?" He asked "Come now." He walked into his room and she rolled her eyes putting her new cards back in their box and walking to the drawer where she had stashed her spelled cards. They were older and worn but they buzzed with a sort of energy that terrified her slightly.

She walked into his room with the cards.

Everything about them was too easy. Them being together felt natural. They danced around one another as if they were born to do it. Getting up on his bed and shuffling her cards felt too simple and too comfortable. She watched him as he slowly unbuttoned his shirt and replaced it with something more comfortable. Klaus never wore seats She didn't think he had it in him. It was always so put together and formal.

She pointed to the spot across from her on his perfectly made bed. He situated himself up against his pillows laying back and gazing as she shuffled and flipped the deck.

"How long will you continue to wear that?" He asked staring at the ring on her left finger. She stopped shuffling and looked at it for a moment

"Does it bother you?" She asked looking up at him

"I would rather like to say no." He said and that was his only answer. After a long moment of pause she took it off her finger and felt something in her snap. She assumed it was the spell from Freya. She had warned that when Atlanta took the ring off the tie would be broken. She held it between her thumb and forefinger for a moment admiring its beauty before handing it out to him.

He took it surprised and set it gently on a bedside table.

"What is to keep me here now?" He asked her

"What is to keep me here now?" She repeated the question instead of answering. She shook her head to snap herself back to the situation at hand.

Under her breath she mumbled a few words in Latin that she knew. _folium_ and _malas_. This only worked because no one knew Latin anymore and when you repeated anything in Latin is sounded like a chant.

"Bad leaf." Klaus noted referring to her Latin words.

"I don't need your negativity, you asked for a reading, this isn't a Latin lesson from the thousand year old pretty boy"

"I did." He agreed nodding. "Please proceed Madam"

"That's Misses Madam to you" She corrected as she held out the cards.

"Am I not worth the song and dance?" he asked not reaching out to take a card.

"You have to be kidding" She said dropping the cards to the bed

"I want as much effort as you would give anyone else" He laid back on the pillow looking smug and self-satisfied.

"Why would I indulge you?" She asked exasperated. "I was happily enjoying my other cards when you barged in."

He said nothing but only stared at her with a grin she wanted to slap off his face.

"You are insufferable." She said rolling off the bed leaving the cards amess. She grumbled all the way to the bathroom where she did quick double pointed Arabian eyeliner with a gold layer of eyeliner on top. She gathered her hair up on top of her head and threw off her crop top and put on her burgundy satin full length dressing robe. She never understood why people didn't wear dressing robes as the times changed. To her they were a wardrobe essential. She slipped her sweats off and tied the robe close to herself.

"This is as good as it is getting Mikealson so don't even say anything about a physic turban." She growled out as she resumed her place on the bed.

"I wouldn't dream of questioning your authentic medium costume...or attire if you will."

She couldn't believe that she was indulging him but she went into her chant of "bad leaf" anyway waving her hand over the deck of cards. She did tarot readings in her shop for customers that asked. She always put on a show for them as it made them laugh and lightened the mood of the reading. This time she refrained from calling on spirits of the dead as she sometimes did because she was afraid that the cards held power that could make that happen.

"Lean in close." She said with her eyes still closed as she waved her hand above the cards magically and Klaus leaned in like he was asked. She placed a solid backhand slap across his face and relished the sound it made. He grabbed her hand as she tried to take it back. She opened her eyes and tried to look innocent

"You said you wanted authentic, I do that to all of my clients." He let her hand go and slid his hand over his face.

"It is a wonder the bookstore is more profitable than your powers of beyond."

She stifled a laugh. "Please kind sir pick three cards and allow me to reach beyond the veil into the realm of the unknown and pull from its knowledge"

"You're robe is coming open darling." He said pointing to her black lace bra that was slightly visible

"I say!' She cried "Do not interrupt the spirit reading. You half-witted savage." He shook his head with a smiled and pulled three cards from the fanned out deck. She adjusted her robe while he wasn't looking.

She took the deck of cards back from him. She could feel the hum of magic pulsing through them.

"Your first card." She said setting it down and seeing two sphinxes carrying a man. "Inverted Chariot." She said. "Lack of control, aggression." She said interested looking up at him "I mean that's always not really anything new" She noted looking at him. He looked less than impressed

"Hey you pulled the card man." She said holding her palms up. "it's a past card so let's move on to the present"

"Your present card is" She flipped over a card with Adam and eve and a large angel over then both. "You have to be kidding." She whispered under her breath.

"What is it love?" He asked

"The lover's card upright after the inverted chariot brings two people together in harmony out of chaos and divisions that has proceeded it." She looked up at him and pursed her lips together "perhaps you and Caroline will reunite when we bring Hope back to school tomorrow." She mentioned the road trip that the three had planned for the next day. Though now that Tesla didn't have the ring she supposed she didn't have to go.

"Perhaps we shall." Klaus said and smiled at her as she tried to hide signs of how much that annoyed her.

Okay third and final, your future." She said flipping the card over "death" She said nodding down at it. "The death of one cycle and the beginning of a new one." She smiled up at him "Life"

"The death card has always confused me because it never means death" He said picking it up and spinning it in his hand.

"No not even inverted." She noted packing up the cards into their box.

"Just like witches to create something so confusing" He noted

"Yes they do like their tricks." She agreed as she took her last drink of her bourbon and walked over to the cart o pour herself another. As she got off the bed she noticed a painting covered in the corner.

"Are you painting?" She asked walking over to the easel. She looked back and he looked as if he were about to pounce on her and not in the good way. She held out her hands in surrender "okay"

She walked instead and poured herself a drink. Though her curiosity was killing her she collected her cards and went to walk back to her room. Klaus had gotten up and was standing at the doorway between their two rooms.

"What do I owe you for the services?" he asked

"You can buy lunch tomorrow" She suggested though he always bought lunch, and everything else for that matter.

"Are you sure you don't require something more significant?" He asked.

She looked up at him leaned against the doorway with his beautiful eyes and his casual charm. His devious smile and finality of tone. She stepped closer to him.

"I'll take a kiss." She prompted him

"Oh?" He asked his impish grin turning into a smile of triumph but she didn't care.

"Too rich for your blood?" She asked taunting him.

"Not at all."

"Put your money where your mouth is then, Niklaus." She hardly ever called him and his eyes narrowed at her like she was suggesting a bet but he didn't know what it was.

She just wanted to kiss him without any other agenda. Without him trying to get something from her and without her trying to put a spell on him. Perhaps that is why she took the ring off. She hesitated and stepped away but before she had a chance to change her mind he reached out and pulled her to him.

There was no snide remark before just him reaching down and cupping her face and pressing his mouth to hers. It wasn't rushed or forced or overly heady. It was simple; as innocent as they could get and second after Klaus let her go and she stepped away from him.

"Your heart is beating unusually fast." She mocked but quietly as she had not regained her faculties.

"Impossible." He shook his head "I don't have one."

"That's right." She said passing him into her own room "protect that street cred."

"Would you like dinner?" He asked as she stashed her cards back in the drawer.

"I'm not really dressed for it" She said displaying her satin robe which was ever so slowly inching its way apart despite the tie in the middle.

"You are if we stay in." He suggested

"A home cooked meal" She mused "How could I refuse?"

He nodded and walked upstairs without another word. She waited until he was gone and then leaned against one of the brick walls touching her mouth.

"god" She breathed out. She put her sweats and grey top back on throwing her robe on the bed. She listed and heard Klaus fiddling in the kitchen.

The worst part of Niklaus was that he treated her kindly. He had seen him show more gentleness to her than any other person other than Hope. It was the sort of thing that didn't make sense but drew her to him anyway. The tamed monster. There was just something about a bad boy that was only good for you. She then walked back into his room and set to do what she had in the first place.

She lifted the cover of his painting after checking the doorway several times. The canvas was painted with a woman. The face she recognized as her own but like a lot of his paintings there was something he saw in her and painted that she couldn't. A certain life that he captured in her smile.

She stared at it for a long time before letting the sheet fall back and walking upstairs.


	9. Chapter 9

**I do not own the originals**

The seven hour car ride had been pleasant enough.

Just like old times. Hope and Tesla had bantered back and forth with Klaus saying things from time to time but mostly staying silent.

She hadn't had to go but Klaus had asked her to so she had braved the road with the two.

They ate at places along the way that Hope suggested as she had taken the trip many times. She seemed sad to have to go back to school but new that it was time. Apparently Caroline was worried about her missing classes.

So they ate and drove and talked and listened to each other's music. Klaus looked disgusted with most of it that wasn't his and it was fun. Tesla hated to admit it to herself but it gave her a sense of being very homesick for something she couldn't put her finger on.

When they had finally pulled into the infamous Mystic Falls it was four in the afternoon. Tesla's eyes were glued to outside as she took in everything she could. There were so many stores about this place that she couldn't help but be intrigued. The trees were turning pretty colors as the weather got colder. The drive from Brooklyn had been lovely.

Tesla said it all the time but some things never got old.

They pulled up to school which looked like a really big house, not unlike something that Mikealson's would live in.

They all got out of the car as Klaus made his way to the back to get Hope's things.

"Thanks for coming." Hope said as her and Tesla walked to the front door.

"Sure Kiddo, no problem." Tesla nodded as Hope just opened the front door without knocking.

Tesla glanced at a golden inscription by the front door dedicating the school to a man named Stefan Salvatore.

"Who is he?" She asked Hope who had gone too far into the house to hear her.

"Caroline's first husband. " Klaus answered coming up behind her. This house was his and his brother Damon's. Damon donated it to Caroline after Stefan died.

"How did he die?" She asked as they both stepped into the entryway.

"Some business about saving this cursed town and the people that live here as well as setting his idiot older brother free from the afterlife."

"How terrible soap opera-ey" she suggested looking around the corners

"I liked Stefan well enough but he should have just let the whole town go up in flames."

"After years it's a wonder ever expect any change from you." A female voice called out and they both turned at the same time to see a beautiful young blond coming down the hall who didn't look older than twenty.

"It is a wonder." Klaus said under his breath and Tesla could feel the tension between them instantly. It was palpable and Tesla wanted to step outside to give them a moment.

But the moment came and went and they were still sitting there in silence.

"I'm so sorry for your loss" Tesla interjected with nothing else to say.

The woman looked up at her and smiled kindly. Though her body looked twenty her eyes looked older, much like every vampire.

"Who might you be?" Caroline asked her stepping closer

"Tesla" She said holding her hand out. They shook hands as Caroline waited for the rest of the introduction but Tesla was unsure of what to add to explain her presence. "Family friend" She ended up saying and Caroline nodded knowingly.

"Of course." She said looking between Klaus and her.

"I had blond hair once too." Tesla said smiling surprised to feel the creep of jealously in the back of her mind.

"Yes well, he does have a type" Caroline chuckled at the joke. Klaus looked fairly uncomfortable which was a rare occurrence.

"Miss Salvatore!' Hope called from around the corner and Caroline seemed to compose herself. Hope came around the corner and ran to give the woman a hug.

"Have you been keeping up on your reading?" Caroline asked

"Most of it." Hope answered honestly

"Go unpack and I'll insert you in class when you are done" Caroline said to her

"Tesla do you want to see my dorm?" Hope asked backing away from the group

"I would love to not be here" Tesla said following her not hiding the fact that she was slightly uncomfortable. Hope found that funny and laughed as she led the girl to part of the house that had been added onto in the back.

There was quite a bit that had been added on including what looked like small classrooms and dorm halls. It was all very Xavier's school for the gifted. She looked at the beautiful decoration and the turn of the century feel. She wanted to go to school there.

Hope took her to a room that was plain except the large cork board of photographs hanging above her bed. They were printed photographs which were a treat to see as it was a dying thing. She also had a series of string lights hanging up over her bed. The duvet was a soft lavender color with a soft looking grey throw at the end.

She honed in on the large board of photos to see, not surprisingly, that they were photos of her family. Some letters that her father had written to her. She was surprised to see more than one picture of Klaus and herself up on the board. A pang of the heart warmed her as she looked at a picture of Klaus, her, Rebekah and Hope in Disneyland after she had talked Klaus into taking Hope. It had been a fun trip[ and completely out of the Mikealson's comfort zone. She laughed at the October pumpkin dressed up in the background as it was during the fall holiday.

"I love that picture" Hope said standing right beside her and fingering the photo of them all.

"It's a good one." Tesla agreed as she scanned the other pictures and landed on one of just her and Klaus. It was a self-photograph that she had taken with a phone. Klaus with his signature charming and mischievous smile that was directed at Tesla and she was laughing and smiling so wide her eyes were almost closed. She smiled a little sadly at it.

"I know I've been giving you a hard time" Hope said taking the picture off the board "But you looked happy"

"I was happy" She admitted mostly to herself than to the girl

"He looks happy too" Hope said looking wistfully at the photo

"As happy as he gets" Tesla joked and the girl smiled up at her

"He loves you" Hope said and something in her eyes was pleading with Tesla "He doesn't love many things and he especially doesn't love many people but he loves you"

Tesla didn't know what to say to that. There was so much between her and Klaus; good and bad. There was hurt, there was tension, love and attraction. She thought that there would always be that bit of something that made them who they were. The something that they shared was wonderful but it was also hard.

"He told me once when I was little, when you first left, that you broke his heart" Hope prodded and Tesla sat down on the bed the past memories flooding her brain. "I think he doesn't remember that he told me that because I was so young" Hope went on "But I remember"

"Clever girl" Tesla said quoting movies even in serious moments.

"What happened Tesla?" Hope asked sitting next to her

Tesla sat there wondering if it would do much of anything to tell the girl. She didn't see how it could help anything but she didn't understand how it could hurt either. The girls sparkling eyes of mischief were looking over at her with the want of a story of her father so she took a deep breath and let it out.

"It was at the house your dad bought in Winnsboro, maybe he doesn't have it anymore"

"The one in South Carolina? " Hope asked "he does, it's one of my favorites"

That made Tesla smile though "It's a beautiful house"

"Anyway your father had just had a minor dispute with your Uncle Elijah and Fin, as they do." She continued and Hope nodded understanding "This particular argument had gotten out of hand and your father decided to dagger and box Fin."

"So that's when that happened" Hope said wondrously "What was the argument about"

"Oh something about the new Orleans territory and the witches, I can't recall" She waved it off as it hadn't been of any interest to her at the time "Your father, being who he is, daggered Fin as a line in the sand and dared anyone to defy him. Of course, no one did because that's just the way that it had always been…"

* * *

Tesla sat in the car silently staring out the window trying to reason with herself not to be upset. After all this time she knew how he was and there was no reason to be upset about how he was. It would always be that way. Perhaps that is why she was so upset.

Klaus either ignoring her distress or not observant enough to see talked about the scenery. She of course heard nothing he said as she resolved conflict within herself

"Tesla?" She heard him say and she snapped out of her daydream

"Yes?" She asked smiling

"Are you alright, love?" He asked

 _Was she alright?_

She didn't know. His rage a week earlier and punishing Fin indefinitely without anyone being able to say anything still haunted her. She didn't know why. He had done things like that before. Why was it bothering her so much? She remembered watching his cold stare and anger as he drove the silver dagger into Fin's heart. The fury as he looked at Rebekah, Kol, Tesla, and Elijah and Freya daring one of them to take it out.

She and Fin hadn't been great friends but she hadn't hated him. He was a person that deserved as much freedom as Klaus himself had. Yet when Klaus had seen him as dispensable he had stabbed and boxed him up as if he hadn't meant anyhting to him at all. It was just like him.

So why was she so upset?

"Fine" She smiled back nodding "Where are we going?"

He grinned then, it was a full grin and could almost be called a smile. It was a thing that made you fall in love with him. That smile. She would fall in love with the devil himself if he had that smile. Though maybe she already had.

"I have a surprise for you." He said looking back toward the road.

They had taken a plane into South Carolina and were now driving to an undisclosed location. She usually felt excitement or happiness at their adventures but today she felt indifferent. She tried to muster a real smile for him. It was thoughtful what he was doing and she felt simply awful for thinking the way that she was.

They listened to Billie Holiday for the rest of the car ride. They often rode in silence just enjoying the company and the music and the new sights. This car trip Tesla was trying to talk herself into chilling out.

When they finally reached her destination it was hard not to admire the view.

A white house with two giant pillars in the front stood before her. It looked Common Era to her with its giant white front with windows scattered all about and its large front porch. It was very Gone with the Wind. It was just the kind of thing that Tesla loved and the look on Klaus face said that he knew that.

She got out of the passenger side and marveled at the house. The front was covered in trees of all kinds and the back yard looked to be just as promising.

"It's beautiful" She said amazed walking toward the house "Whose is it?" She asked behind her

"It's yours." The answer came to her and she closed her eyes against the words. Her feelings warred inside her.

"Mine?" She asked standing as still as she could. Oh how she wanted to be happy and throw herself into his arms. However, her only thought was of his hard stare as he drove the dagger into Fin's body. She felt as if she were going to throw up.

He came around behind her and wrapped her up in a hug from behind.

"I bought it for us." He said in her ear "to be our home"

She knew she was going to be sick. Everything she ever wanted presented before her with the love of her life embracing her and telling her that he wanted to have a home with her.

Then something worse happened. It was the worse and most perfect thing that she could have imagined happening. She both fell more in love with Niklaus Michaelson and felt more terrified by him at the same time.

"Tesla Coos" He said turning her to face him. He got down on his knee and she took in a sharp breath. Though it was a new decade marriage still held a lot of weight in her mind. The absolute proposal of love and commitment from one person to another. "Would you marry me?"

The question shattered her.

Klaus didn't wait for her answer but instead too her hand and slipped an absolutely beautiful ring on her finger with a ruby center surrounded by diamonds. She looked at it and felt herself start to cry. She saw that stare and the rage in his eyes. The threat of death to anyone who stepped out of line. When would he decide she wasn't worth keeping around? Just the thought of that heartbreak was enough to cause her physical pain.

"Oh Beloved…I can't" She said unsuccessfully holding back tears.

He looked as if he'd been shot and then his face hid his expression behind stone. He stood up and looked at her as if she were going to change her mind or explain what she meant or even say she was joking.

And she wished she could have.

She slipped the beautiful ring off her finger squeezing it in her palm. She held her hand out and as if it were in slow motion watch as it fell into his hand.

* * *

"Then I ran. Literally just ran." She said looking out Hope's window into the yard "Without any explanation, like a coward. Just so I wouldn't have to look at his face anymore."

Hope was silent for a long time.

"Yikes." She finally said and Tesla nodded in agreement


	10. Chapter 10

**I do not own The Originals**

He watched her daughter and Tesla walking away and let out a sigh.

"She's lovely" Caroline noted and he looked at her.

She was lovely. Of course she was he would never involve himself who was anything less than spectacular. Tesla was everything that drove him crazy and her presence plagued his mind. His mind flashed to how well he knew her figure under that terrible clothing and the way they reacted together. He remembered how she tasted and the sandalwood and dry vanilla scent that always stuck close to her skin. Her wicked smile and kind eyes. She was something. His chest tightened watching her walk away as she laughed with Hope. It sparked a memory that he savored.

"I have excellent taste" He concluded out loud and Caroline snorted in laughter

"It's nice to see you after so long, Hope missed you" She said and he finally turned to look at her. She was lovely just as he remembered. Older now and she held an air of authority that the younger version of herself lacked. Perhaps it was confidence in herself that he saw.

"Likewise Caroline Salvatore." He winked at her. "Thank you for taking care of Hope so well"

"She's brilliant, like her father" She remarked "Which is both a blessing and a curse"

"She was bound to have some of me in her." He paused "Though she had a lot of her mother in her as well"

"How is Elijah?" Caroline asked

It was an average question. To ask after someone after the loss of someone important but Klaus didn't know how Elijah was. He hadn't seen him in five years and they hadn't talked since he had been back; at least not about anything important.

"Elijah is Elijah" Klaus said and it was as true as he know how to be.

Caroline gave him the tour of the building and the additions that they had made to the property. She said that he had just missed Elena and Damon which he wasn't unhappy about.

When they made it to Hope's room she was unpacking her suitcase.

"Independent studies" Caroline said to her nodding to the left with her head.

Hope nodded and walked to Klaus embracing him in a hug. He kissed the top of her head and hugged her back.

"Don't go and run off on us again." She said seriously looking up into his eyes "I miss you terribly"

"I shall do my best." He said admiring her

"You have to tell her." She said and her tone got lower almost in a whisper "about the postcards"

He smiled sadly at her. She was a lot like Rebekah in many ways. Her compassionate heart was filled with human sentiment. His daughter was a romantic at heart and since he admired everything about her he admired that too.

"I think…" He paused trying to be as gentle as he could, which was not an easy feat for him "That too much time has passed for us"

"It is not time or opportunity that is to determine intimacy;—it is disposition alone. Seven years would be insufficient to make some people acquainted with each other, and seven days are more than enough for others." She quoted to him and his smile split his face

"Jane Austen" Caroline smiled at her

"My favorite" Hope grinned at her.

Oh his daughter the romantic.

"Where is Tesla?" he asked

"I think she decided to walk around the property" Hope smiled. She ran over to the small nightstand by her bed and grabbed a backpack sitting next to it. She headed back to the door. Klaus kissed her on the head again before letting her out into the hall.

"You'll visit soon?" Hope asked walking backward down the hall

"You have a break coming up I'll come pick you up myself." He promised

She seemed satisfied by that and nodded turning around without a goodbye as she ran to her classroom.

"Are you staying the night?" Caroline asked. There was a hidden question in her tone and Klaus smiled up at her playfully

"Are you offering accommodations?" He asked

"If you are free to be accommodated." Caroline said "Though we will have to start with dinner"

"Let's do dinner then" Klaus said casually

"Seven?" She asked and he nodded

* * *

"What are your judgments?" Klaus asked coming up behind Tesla who had wondered into a park in town and was reading a commemorative sign.

"What makes you so sure I have any?" She asked turning to him

He just stared at her for a moment with her black patterned tights and jean shorts. Her black sweatshirt with white rose designs on her elbows. He never understood why she chose to dress the way she did, her style had evolved since he had first met her but not into anything more sophisticated. Though he supposed that he would never use the word sophisticated to describe her.

He looked to her face and saw that he was making her uncomfortable. He could always tell exactly what she was thinking. Tesla wore her heart on her sleeve and was a poor liar. Her face was full of everything that she was thinking. Hate or love her eyes burned with whatever emotion she felt. There was a bit of both there when she looked at him.

"I fancy you with brown hair." He said finally when she crossed her arms and frowned at him showing her displeasure him.

"You've said"

"I know you have something to say about this place because you have something to say about everything that you encounter."

"True, I have a lot to say about you."

"You could no doubt fill a large book." He said steeping alongside her as she surveyed the town. "Though that's not what I asked, love"

"It's charming" She shrugged "the perfect town to raise a child, if it wasn't for the bad Juju"

"The spirit presence is rather high" he said

"The whole place vibrates with it." She nodded "are you sure Hope is safe here?"

That she asked that question was one of the things that endeared him to her. The truth was that he didn't know where Hope would be safe. It certainly wasn't with him with how many enemies he had made in his lifetime. Haley was gone so she couldn't decide. This was the safest place he could think of at the time. There was no place safe for a Mikealson witch, werewolf vampire. The girl would have a life of fear and toil. He hoped there would be some good in it too though.

"To be seen." He said and Tesla didn't push further.

He had the urge to take her into his arms as he always had. The infuriating parts of her only fueled those feelings as he had always been attracted to things that provoked him. She could spark anger with a sideways glance. He longed to pin her down and silence her mouth with his.

"I am going to dinner with Caroline." he said shutting down his train of thought and blocking it. His aim was always to make Tesla as uncomfortable as possible but it was a fine line between him and if he wasn't careful he found himself aching to be with her.

"Okay." She said and her casual tone was forced. She was truly a terrible liar.

"Would you care to join us?" He asked knowing and enjoying the flash of a reaction across her face.

There was no doubt that Tesla Coos still loved him. Her body language betrayed her at every step and she reacted to him as much as he did to her. Her eyes wandered after him and the distinct flash of jealously had framed her each time Caroline had been mentioned. She tried to hide it but he had the ability to see through her mask.

"No that's alright." She shook her head looking anywhere but at him.

"We may end up staying the night." He said to her and her eye went wide as she bit her lip and nodded.

"Sure depending on how dinner goes." She countered and anger was creeping into her tone

"Do you need me to find you suitable accommodations?" He asked and one of her hands balled into a fist at her side as she tried to control herself.

"No thank you" She said turning to him. Her expression smoothed over and her tone now held a challenge "I am perfectly capable of accommodating myself"

Just like that she had evened the score between them. His mouth flicked up into a smile as he thought about acting on her unspoken challenge. She turned away from him.

"I think I'll look around some more" She started walking away "let me know if your plans work out later and I'll plan accordingly"

* * *

He could hardly believe that the Mystic Grill was still in business and hardly looked any different than it had years before. The service was still just as poor.

"Do you not feel stifled with the limited choices of dining here?" He asked frowning at his ice water that came in a plastic cup.

"This place doesn't disgust me like it does you." She said smiling her pretty smile at him. The smile he had once been obsessed with.

"I can't imagine why."

"Its home" She said sipping her water "it was Stefan's home"

"Yes the man you chose over me" he said though he was only half joking, their history was just that.

"We had a good run." She said "it's nice to see you from time to time, the excitement of doing something bad"

"After all this time you still consider me the bad guy?" He asked

"The older I get the more the lines are blurred but you will always be the darkness" She said honestly and he couldn't fault her for that.

They spoke of her husband and the school and Hope. They caught up and Klaus felt as if he were talking to an old friend.

"So, Tesla" Caroline finally said "What's the story?"

He just looked at her without saying a word.

"She's here with you, that's something" She probed

"Hope asked her to come" He lied

"That's something too" She nodded "I've heard her speak of her a few times and seen her in some of the pictures in her room"

"We were together when Hope was younger" Klaus said scowling down at his less than exceptional meal.

"How together?" Caroline asked now looking very curious "like casually?"

"I don't think it would be classified as such" Klaus said not liking where the conversation headed.

"Do all the Mikealson's like her?"

"Everyone likes Tesla." Klaus stated "You can't help but like her"

"So?" She asked again "What happened?"

"I suppose what always happens." He concluded a little remorse in his tone. He didn't like to think about Tesla leaving him. Not only was it a blow to his ego but she had learned to trust him as a member of his family. Her leaving was a betrayal that had wounded him for a number of years. No call and no contact between them, she had simply left without looking back. She left them all.

"The Mikealsons would be tough family to be a part of." Caroline speculated

"We are." Klaus said though his family was what was most dear to him and inviting someone in like they had with Tesla had taken time and it had affected everyone when she left.

They didn't talk any more about it until he walked her home.

"Are you going to come in?" She asked on the front porch. He remembered what it had been like to be with Caroline. The offer was tempting and he considered it for a moment.

Caroline would always be beautiful, with her blond curls and blue eyes. Her girl next door smile and the certain charm that she had. She would always be someone that he remembered and hopefully they would remain friends for many years.

"I don't think so" He answered "Though the offer is very tempting"

"Seems you have learned some chivalry from your brother."

"I've always had my fair share" He mused "It's not as prominent as Elijah's"

"If she brings it out then she may be worth it." She said opening the door and walking inside "Goodnight Klaus"

"Caroline." He said turning and walking away pulling his phone out to call the green eyed demon that plagued his mind.

* * *

She had fallen asleep fifteen minutes into their journey. Her soft breathing and peaceful expression on display where she was leaned up against the door.

It was then, as the moon hit her features that he decided to divert from their original course home. He flipped around in the middle of the deserted road. He placed his hand over hers gently and she stirred but didn't wake up.

She woke up in the car. It took a minute to acclimate herself. She sat up straight and stretched looking for Klaus who was not in the car. She furrowed her brow and looked outside and sucked in a long breath.

They were out the house. His house that he had gotten for her. The house with the wonderful porch and the trees and the wonderful windows. Her chest started the signature ache as she stepped out of the car.

She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against the door

"Why are we here Klaus?" She whispered to herself "Some sort of emotional torture no doubt." She took a step forward and made her way to the front door.


	11. Chapter 11

**I do not own the originals**

The trees in the yard were so tall she couldn't see through them to the top if she was standing under them. The two porch lights cast enough light so that she could make out the shadow of the yard and her memory served for the rest. Crickets chirped and leaves rustled against each other as a warm breeze blew across this piece of heaven.

The house had six tall white beams on the porch and a red brick path leading up to the stone stairs that had been white washed. The grass on either side was lush and green. It was the kind of grass that you imagined having a picnic on or chasing little kids around on. It made her a little sad as she missed her daughter.

Iris had loved good grass. Tesla though everyone loved good grass it was a universal love.

The red brick stopped and at three stone steps that took you up to the porch. The porch itself seemed to be covered in mirrored white tile. It was quite unusual and Tesla found herself watching the light from the sconces glittering in its polished surface. The house' face was white with dark blue trim, though perhaps it was black and she couldn't see very well. There were nine windows looking out to the red brick entrance and the fantastic grass, each with its own set of shutters and one right above the door had a beautiful faux balcony.

She wanted to sit in one of the two rocking chairs on the porch and admire both the house and the property but she knew the sooner she found Klaus the sooner she could go home. This house brought back too many memories and she wasn't prepared to deal with them at that moment.

She opened the black door inward into an entryway with a black and white marbled floor and a great dark stained staircase to the left. The lights in the house were all on and she heard the sound of some sort of slow jazz music coming from somewhere. She walked past a sort of parlor to the left and slipped her shoes of stashing them by the door. She slid childishly on the smooth marble in her socks.

"Klaus!" She called loud enough that he could hear her from wherever he was "if you jump out and scare me I swear…" She trailed off as no threat toward him was feasible "Just don't do it or I will be irritated"

She passed under another pair of columns and to a sort of sun room with two huge windows that spanned its length. She was sure that in the morning it was a beautiful sight to behold. The walls were painted a wonderful royal blue and there was a cozy breakfast nook in the corner.

One end of the sun room led to a living room and adjoining laundry room. The other end led to a great kitchen with an island and a fireplace with a dining room attached. Each room was painted a bright and bold color. She wondered if Klaus had let young Hope go into the paint store and pick out the swatches; though Tesla wouldn't change a thing. She left the chameleon green kitchen and went back to the entryway.

She hadn't found Klaus or the origin of the music that was playing. She climbed the stairs hesitantly calling out his name again.

The music was Billie Holiday and it got louder when she stood on the second floor landing. It was all hardwood shiny and polished. There were four bedroom doors three of which were closed and one on the far end that seemed to be where the music was coming from. She made her way there and opened the cracked door wide.

"Klaus?" She asked before seeing him standing dramatically at a window with a drink in his hand. Tesla was unsure how someone could stand dramatically but Klaus had managed to do it. The music swirled and pooled around him adding to the mood. The room was grey and subdued and seemed as if Hope hadn't got her hands on it. There was a desk in the corner and a four poster bed with and intricate black carved headboard.

It was Klaus' room there was no doubt about it.

She stood in the doorway and just stared at him for a moment. He knew that she was there as he would have seen her reflection in the glass. He did not make a move to look at her though and stood very still for a long time.

As a vampire you learned to stand still and take in a moment. Your life was so much longer than other's that you didn't mind taking the few extra moments just to memorize something and commit it to memory. Tesla took a mental snapshot of Klaus standing at the window with his whiskey glass in hand and Billie Holiday's 'I'll be seeing you' playing around him.

"The house is lovely" She shattered the silence and was almost sorry he had.

"I thought you might enjoy it." He said not turning to look at her.

"You were right." She said stepping closer "But you knew you would be, you're always right"

"The older I get the more I realize…" He stopped and paused and she thought he was going to say that he was wrong and was taken aback by it "That I am right more frequently"

"Of course." She chuckled behind him

"Hope picked the colors for the house." He said confirming her suspicion

"That accounts for it"

"I would never pick colors so garish, but she fancied it so…"

"The dad that can't say no to his little girl" She noted "Quite the cliche"

"A cliche is a cliche for a reason"

"They do normally hold some merit." She agreed and after another pause she said "Klaus, why are we here?"

"Did you get to see the rest of the house?" He asked evading her question

"Oh okay." She said rolling her eyes "So that's how we are going to do this. Okay Klaus fine" She walked over to the bed and sat "Yes I saw the rest of the house it was quite lovely as I said before"

There was more silence as he looked back out the window.

"Is this where you stayed?" She asked him "For the five years?"

"I didn't stay in one place." His tone sounded thoughtful "My family is much too diligent for that"

"What a shame that you have a family that wants to find you" She said thinking of her lack of family

"They have their moments"

"Hope was glad to see you" She said

"I saw Hope frequently in those five years"

She nodded at him figuring as much. There was no way he would go without seeing her and the girl had done a great job at keeping his secret. No one knew that they were in contact; not even Rebekah or Elijah.

"This is where we stayed" He nodded

"We are now much further from Brooklyn than we originally started." She thought out loud "Though I suppose you could take me to the airport here and I can make my way back across the sates."

"You'll go back to your bookstore?" He asked and she smiled a little that he knew she had a bookstore. No doubt Hayley or Elijah or perhaps even Hope had told him.

"Well someone has to watch it." She paused "All ten of my customers will be sad that I haven't been open for weeks" Her store did get a lot of foot traffic in the tourist town. Ten was a bit of an exaggeration but she doubted anyone was massively upset that the shop was closed.

"Do you like it there?" He asked. She wondered if he wanted honesty. The thing about Klaus was that he was always looking for a specific answer or at least a specific kind of answer.

"It very Notting Hill." She said "I'm Hugh grant of course, waiting for adventure and my own Julia Roberts to swoop in like a whirlwind. So far though nothing quite as exciting has happened"

"I'll have to take your word" He sounded disappointed so it must not have been the answer he was looking for.

"It's lonely" She said "Most of the time I suffer from a severe case of loneliness, something I know you understand"

The thing people never spoke about vampirism was that you felt emotions quite strongly. It wasn't just the good emotions like passion and happiness or joy but the terrible ones as well anger sadness and loneliness. The emotions were so amplified that it was sometimes crushing to carry them around. Often Tesla was consumed with feeling alone. She wasn't sure if it was the same for the originals or not but regular vampires had tons of support groups for that.

"Loneliness can be cruel" He said "though when you go seeking that lifestyle it's really self-inflicted"

She couldn't say anything to that because of course he was right.

"You still hadn't told me why we are here" She pointed out

"Did you see the bricked room downstairs?" he asked

Tesla had seen it out of the corner of her eye as it looked like a porch that had been enclosed off of the kitchen. She had not explored it however. She wasn't sure why Klaus was being so guarded and strange about why he had brought her here.

"I don't know... what I mean to accomplish by bringing you here" He admitted and she sat frozen on the bed. Expressions of emotion weren't really Klaus' thing. "Elijah explained why they had to use you to use the spell but I hadn't expected to see you."

The silence after that was long and stiff. She decided to get up and see what could possibly be in the red bricked room. She left the room without saying a word and made her way down the stairs. She passed through the entryway and through the royal blue sun room. She shuffled through the kitchen and over to the corner where the open doorway to the room was.

It was the only room that was dark. She felt along the wall for the light switch as she descended the brick stairs with a metal railing. The room had indeed once been a patio. The floor was concrete and brick and the walls were also. There were built in planters with thriving green plants of many varieties. A few couches took over one corner and in the other corner was a thick wooden table with benches on either side.

The sunrise was coming up by this time and the promise of morning shone through the large room windows.

Tesla saw nothing by the couches or door that made any sense as to why she would be there. It wasn't until she got to the bottom of the steps and turned to the table that she found anything of interest.

There were about fifty or so postcards and about half as many letters spread out on the table. The postcards were face up to show the writing and the letters were folded and pressed out with wrinkles on the edges as if they had been held many times. As she stepped forward and studied the words she was shocked to find that the writing was her own.

Confused she picked up one of the letters and found it addressed to a Mr. Waters.

Mr. Waters was a cute older man of about sixty five who she had met once in her shop when it had first opened. He said he was passing through and had picked up a copy of War and Peace. He had promised to send Tesla a post card from his vacation to Mexico. After the first post card they had written back and forth multiple times. They were pen pals. He talked a lot about his late wife who he had had adored and who recently passed in the beginning of their correspondence. How much he adored her and how he described her had always touched Tesla deeply. Through the years she had never seen him again.

At first as she stared at the letters and postcards and was horrified. What had Klaus done to poor Mr. Waters? Or perhaps Mr. Waters lived here. Her brain searched for answers as all of her trains of thought ended up at the same place.

She was astounded with herself. She thought of many of the postcards that she had from 'Mr. Waters' hanging up on her postcard board. The writing was similar to Klaus' and she could see it now in her mind. She couldn't believe she hadn't noticed.

There was no doubt a Mr. Waters somewhere out there who had read that book War and Peace but her correspondence with him had been with Klaus all along.

She picked up a post card of her own talking about her life and how she was homesick for her family back in New Orleans. She was of course slightly embarrassed. She had often talked of the Mikealson's in her notes and letters and of how she missed them. She had even spoke of Klaus often. The longer she had corresponded with the man the more open and honest she had gotten. In fact the letter she had in her left hand was her wondering if she had ruined her chances at happiness by leaving him.

She was conflicted about how to feel as she heard Klaus come to the door of the room. She whirled on him and tried for an angry face but she wasn't sure what came out because her insides were churning with mixed feelings.

"What is this?" She asked shaking the letter and post card in the air. "This feels like an invasion of privacy and boundaries…" She went on in a ranting tone. "Also is poor Mr. Waters okay"

"I'm sure he's fine" Klaus smirked "Wherever that fine gentleman is"

"You didn't harm him did you?"

"Not in the slightest, is that what you think of me?" He asked offended "I simply asked for his assistance"

"Asked for it or took it by force?" She asked narrowing her eyes

"It was consensual." He growled slightly "I'm getting tired of being accused of…"

"Of what?" She asked angrily "Of being absolutely terrible, newsflash Klaus you are absolutely terrible. That's why it's not a stretch to imagine."

She wasn't sure what emotion was winning out but her face was hot and her words were bubbling out faster than she could catch them.

"You are an absolute ass." She shouted throwing the letters back on the table. He didn't look particularly sorry but perhaps a bit amused as always. "You couldn't come face me yourself so instead you send me letters under false pretenses"

"I wasn't sure you would want to see me" He explained coming down the stairs

"I didn't want to see you that's why I left" She spat venomously. She felt instantly sorry for having said it but he didn't seem phased.

Why would he be? Her heart had bled with every stroke of her pen and they were all laid out before her on the table. Lots of what she felt toward him and all of them was before her in her own betraying handwriting. Perhaps that was the worst part. It was her word against hers.

"The days seem longer because she isn't here to share them with" He quoted to her and she backed up as he advanced on her. He was quoting his own writing. The writings she had thought were about a precious old woman.

"I used to enjoy traveling and experiencing life but without her there…"

"Stop" She said as her posture softened as she was backed against a brick wall and without anywhere to go he had caught up to her.

The woman from Mr. Waters letters was someone she had longed to meet he described her as _'magnificent and fierce, kept him in line, a force to be reckoned with, unimaginably charming and beautiful'._ She could not imagine Klaus writing anything so…poetic and touching; especially not about her.

"Can you appreciate how difficult this is for me?" His voice dropped low into his throat and the warmth of his skin pressed into her.

"I'm not in the mood to appreciate much" She countered but he acted as if he hadn't heard her

"To bring you here to a house I should have been rid of by now." If it was possible he pressed himself closer and leaned his mouth close to her ear "The unimaginable weakness that it shows that after your abandonment I chased after you like a lovesick schoolboy"

She closed her eyes against his words as he kissed her neck. She couldn't have stopped him even if she wanted to.

"That I write you from a distance." He complained against her skin "That I can't have what I want"

It was with that, the last bit of her self-control disappeared as he forced his head up to kiss him. Not the slow and hesitant kiss of the Brooklyn basement but desire and anger and wanting and a feeling that had been building for ten years.

She wasn't sure where they ended up just that his hands were on her and under her clothes and on her face. He said her name too many times for her to know how many and she had no recollection of what she said. Just that her hands were on his skin and her mouth would be swollen from kissing him.

Kissing him in this house that he had found for her in the heart of South Carolina surrounded by love letters that she hadn't meant for him to see.


	12. Chapter 12

**I do not own the originals**

She woke up alone.

It wasn't terribly unusual. She remembered the feeling quite well. After spending a night with Niklaus Mikealson you often woke up naked in a foreign place wondering what your next step was going to be. She had often lived in this limbo and eve grown accustomed to the abandon feeling.

She starched out on Klaus' bed like a cat. She sat up slowly and looked around the room which was a slight disaster with papers scattered on the floor and furniture tipped over. There was even a hole in the drywall. She sincerely did not know how that had gotten there. She rubbed her neck out of habit where Klaus had playfully bit her the night before. There would be no marks of course as she had her fair share of his blood but it was still habit to check.

She realized that her clothes were not in the room and she started on a journey through the spacious house to find them. She found her underwear and bra on the stairs and she put them on quickly. Next was her jean shorts which she slid on without her fishnets underneath.

She felt sufficiently dressed to stop creeping around like she was some sort of interloper. She didn't even bother looking for her shirt before she headed to the fridge.

"Convenient" She said finding her shirt thrown in the sink kitchen. She slipped the black and white striped cropped shirt over her head.

She opened the fridge to find absolutely nothing but a single jar of sweet butter pickles. She checked the date and with a snap she popped the lid off and fished a pickle out of the jar. The empty house was much too quiet with just her in it.

She took her phone out and started playing the Chicago movie soundtrack from 2002. They had tried remaking it in 2022 but she felt it just didn't have the charm that the 2002 version had.

She continued to eat bread and butter pickles out of the jar while listening to 'Razzle Dazzle'. She heard the front door open but made no move to change what she was doing.

She heard him make his way through the house seeking her out by the sound of the music playing. He came around the corner in the sunlit kitchen and made a sickened face as she stuck her fingers in the pickle jar again.

"Just because you're a hundred years old doesn't give you cause to act like an animal" He said setting a pink box on the counter that smelled as if it held pastries. The smelled mingled with the smell of coffee which poured from blue striped paper mugs in his other hand.

"I would often like to point out how hypocritical you are but who has that kind of time?" She asked rhetorically. I didn't know if you were going to be back. It's a dog eat dog world Klaus, If I didn't eat these pickles they were going to eat me."

"I have never been able to stoop down low enough to quite understand your humor" He said setting the coffees down on the island.

"Shame" She said placing the lid back on jar and turning to set it in the fridge.

"A little bakery not too far from here has an Opera Cake that rivals that of Gâteau sucré in Paris" He said opening the box and pulling out a smaller pink box from inside.

"Have I been there?" She asked moving to the sink to wash her hands and swish her mouth with water.

"One Paris winter morning we shared a pastry from there on a bench looking over the Ponte Marie."

"Paris with you was fabulous." She thought walking over and taking the cup of coffee that he gave to her.

"I do miss it" he said walking to a drawer and taking out two forks.

"You haven't been in a while?" She asked relishing the warm coffee in her hands

"Not since we went together." He stated

"You sister told me you're…" She searched for a mild word, she didn't want to start anything with him "time away was spent mostly in Europe"

"The majority of my time was spent there, yes" He admitted "But not Paris"

"Sacred?" She asked

There were places when you were a vampire that were like holy relics. Places that reminded you of a better time. You developed an attachment to them. The Mikealsons' had many places like this.

"I suppose"

She decided to change the subject

"So you and Hope came here in the eight years that you were gone? You never left her after all."

"I know you think me to be a monster" He said darkly "but there is nothing in this world that could persuade me to be apart from Hope. Nothing that could stop me from protecting her."

"I know that Klaus"

"You accused me of abandoning her when you found me" He said picking the beautiful Opera cake out of the box and handing Tesla a fork.

"It was more to make you angry than anything." She waited for him to take the first bite.

"Elijah tells me that you only agreed to help find me to be rid of us once and for all." He smiled a sarcastic smile that infuriated everything in her.

"Those were the terms"

"Do you really think that you can make deals where we have to abide by your rules" He asked as she just looked at him not taking a bit of the cake and wishing he would "We don't follow your rules"

"I wasn't accepting you to." She said "But Elijah and Rebekah would if I asked them or at least they would try."

"Their willingness to is a weakness" He said dropping his fork into the cake and coming back up with a piece.

"No." She said decidedly taking her own bite of the cake "that's what you do for people when you love them."

"You think Elijah and Rebekah love you?" His tone was incredulous.

"I like to think so." She said putting the cake in her mouth and closing her eyes against the taste of it "in the twisted way that you guys love people outside of your family"

"What twisted way is that?"

"Like…" She stared "Like a pet. You all love people you come across like pets that you admire and adore and are only with you for a short time. You love them but they aren't like actually worth your complete and total trust or love."

He just stared at her

"If you lose a pet it's no great loss, you're sad for a time perhaps and think of them fondly but hey were only a pet after all."

"I think you have painted us rather harshly"

"I thought I was being generous"

"You think I loved you as if you were a trained house animal?" he asked

"It's not to your discredit I think you all love how you can. IN a way that your fucked up past allows you to." Trust no one let no one in and when it's time for someone to move on either kill them or never hear from them again." She was talking more to herself now as she stared absently out a window "And us mere mortals are left picking up the pieces."

"I loved you." He defended

"I loved you" She said a spark of anger flaring up. The anger only he could provoke "I love you like it was everything that had ever mattered and you love me like I am dispensable."

She took another bite of cake and realized she was eating more than her fair share.

"Which is fine because people are dispensable and after living for a thousand years I'm sure you know that better than most."

"I think you are forgetting that it is you who left" He reminded her irritated "An offer of marriage isn't something I take lightly and you tossed it aside as if you had learned a few things from my family"

"You're right" She said feeling ashamed it hadn't been her finest moment. In fact she realized it was probably one of the things she felt the worst about "I'm not innocent either and for what it's worth I'm sorry"

"It's not worth anything"

He looked angry and she didn't blame him for it.

"I could make excuses, tell you that your treatment of Finn sent me over the edge. That I felt trapped not knowing if I was going to be next. But I don't think it matters. It doesn't excuse my behavior and the justifications I could come up with won't change the past. It won't change the hole that I ripped in my soul the day I ran away."

"Are you happy?" He asked "At your little meaningless shop in a place where you are alone? It is better than being with me?" His voice was angry but also held a bit of curiosity too.

"I had to know for sure and then when I got there it was too late to come back"

"Was it better?"" He asked again setting his fork on the counter and standing up taking the step over to her.

"No" She said looking down and away from him "it's not."

He pulled her chin up with his fingers.

"Now that you know, you don't have to leave" He said bending his head to kiss her firmly. The taste of chocolate and cream between them.

Klaus phone rang and as Tesla kissed Klaus it seemed like a faraway sound. Klaus broke the kiss to take his phone out and look at the screen.

"It's Hope" He said with a frown

"Answer it" Tesla said insistently not knowing she was setting in motion the events of her death.


	13. Chapter 13

**I do not own The Originals.**

 **Sorry this took so long. I had a crazy bust life for a while. Hope you enjoy.**

It hadn't been Hope. It had been Elijah.

The run to Mystic falls was fast as she had ever gone.

This was just the way it was with the Mikealson's. Things started to go okay and then there was a life catastrophe. Tesla was used to it.

Honestly, she was anxious as well. Hope was maybe the only one in this family who didn't deserve any of the nasty backlash that she got from her family name. She was an innocent child who should be able to live her life. It enraged Tesla that her family's dealing constantly put her in harms way.

Hayley had asked Tesla to be Hope's godmother. Klaus hadn't known of course as he would probably heartily disapprove.

She sped through a canyon trying not to hit anything unnecessarily in her haste. She thought of Elijah's words to them on the phone.

"They have Hope, She's in danger Get to mystic falls. Bring Tesla"

Unfortunately, this put them in an odd situation where they could get there fast on foot but Klaus was much faster than Tesla. When the Elijah's line went dead, he stared at Tesla blankly as what color he had drained from his face.

"You should just go" She had said in a state of panic and shock as her head swam with emotion "Just go as fast as you can and I'll come as fast as I can. "

He stood for another moment hesitating, his gaze lingering on her "Go!" She had shouted and he was gone.

She had scrambled putting on short spandex with grey running shorts over them and a strappy black sports bra. She French braided her hair back tightly. She drank some water and stretched a little bit though she knew her body didn't need to stretch. She posed like she was on the Olympic line and he taken off like her life hung in the balance of this run.

Her body didn't often get tired but the exertion of going full 'vampire run' could make her tired and she prayed to whoever was listening that she wasn't completely depleted by the time she got to Mystic Falls.

The air whipped past her and roared in her ears as if her were on the outside on an airplane. The cold bit into her skin but she felt nothing except for her increasing nerves and the need to see Hope Mikealson safe.

She came upon the town and slowed her pace a little as she thought of her next move. She tried the school first but it was completely deserted. She searched the grounds and growled angrily as she found nothing. She knew nothing about this town and would have no idea where to look.

She heard something then. She stopped in the hallway she was going down and listened. It was muffled and barely audible but seemed to be coming from below the school. She followed the source of the noise which was difficult as it was so muted.

She came to a bookshelf in a study and the sounds were louder now. She tried rocking the bookshelf and found it puled away from the wall reveling an open doorway with stairs leading down. The sounds of many voices rose up to greet her as she descended the stairs.

Just as she reached the bottom a strong hand reached up and pushed her against the wall. His hand was against her throat and his face was inches from hers.

"What is this like the ultimate vampire move" She asked rolling her eyes "cause honestly I would say its more of a kinky bedroom thing than an intimidation tactic.

"Alaric!" Caroline yelled "She's not a threat."

"Alaric?" Tesla asked confused as the man let his hand off her throat and stepped away. "I really thought you were dead and…you know what I really don't care this place is crazy" She put her hand up and looked into the room to see all the children of the school strewn about a large room partially separated by a wall. It was like a bunker.

"Where are they?" She directed the question at Caroline who nodded. "the Mikealson's old house. I'll take you" She said Alaric grabbed her by the wrist and she reached up to kiss him "I won't get involved" She promised and he nodded anxiously. Tesla winked at him as they left the room.

The girl was a little slower than she was but they were in front of the house in little to no time. It was a large house as she had expected surrounded by a lot of acreage.

"Thank you, Caroline" She said taking a step to the front door.

"Being involved with him will get you killed" The woman said and Tesla turned and looked at her sadly

"I can tell you speak from knowing. I've lived a long life"

"You seem nice. You're too good for him"

"That could be but the rest of them aren't so bad," She smiled "I mean they are pretty bad"

"Not Hope" Caroline said

"Not Hope" Tesla agreed. "She deserves more."

"Protect her"

"Always" Tesla promised "You need to get your wards checked on that bunker of yours, I could hear you on the first floor"

She left her with that and didn't look back. She approached the house attentively but found out rather quickly that there was no one inside. They had taken the party to the back yard. Entered through the house as the front door was open. She came to a back window to watch the scene that was unfolding.

A group of five young people stood opposite the Mikealson's. They were witches by the eccentric look of them. Not that all witches were eccentric, just the eccentric ones. They were dressed in all black with bones strung on raw leather hanging from their necks. Three women and two men, most likely from the same coven. Five coven witches would be drawing from a lot of ancestral power.

It was Rebekah, Elijah, and Klaus standing over and unconscious looking Hope. She was in a white chalk pentagram. Tesla hated witches. There was always some sort of loophole, some backdoor, some trick some glamour. Nothing was ever straightforward. She listened.

"You realize that a whole line of vampires will die if one of us plunges that into our hearts" Rebekah said with her ever present holier than thou tone.

"I wish I'd have thought of that" A woman witch with stark black hair and pale skin said "A fifth of all vampires wiped off the face of the earth, what a tragedy"

Tesla smirked despite herself. She appreciated a sarcastic bitch. Though one of those vampires could very well be herself.

"Make a choice one of you or your precious Original vampire witch mongrel." A man spoke now and Tesla furrowed her brows. Klaus stepped forward and Elijah held him back.

"You do not want to incur the wrath of my family I guarantee you." Elijah said and if you didn't know him you would think he was saying it without emotion. But his brittle tone and his frequent glances to Hope were all Tesla needed to know he was on edge.

"You thought tall the lives of the witches you have taken wouldn't come back to haunt you." The man spoke again. "The curse will only be satisfied by the blood of a Mikealson. Step up and plunge the dagger into your heart and accept your fate you demons!" He was shouting at this point as if doing some sort of war chant.

Despite some beliefs magic was not science. Magic was emotion, pure and simple. Anger, love, jealousy, hate or happiness. The ancestors of witches could be influenced by fleshy sentiment. It was unpredictable. Tesla had a beautiful friend Named Mali once who was a dark magic witch and a very good one at that. She learned a lot from her.

But the biggest thing was loyalty amongst witches and their family was a bond stronger than anything. You did not go another witch in your family or coven without serious repercussions.

And so, a sort of fool's plan began building in Tesla's mind. She watched the standoff for a second longer before lunging outside. She had to do it before she lost the nerve. Who knew if it would work but she had to try.

She had invaded the meeting before the group knew what happened. She grabbed the rough dagger from the sarcastic witch and plunged the blade into her sternum while stepping into the pentagram circle. It was chaos for a second but Tesla only heard silence as the pain exploded in her chest and she felt the curse like death spreading though her system. She fell to her knees.

"Well that hurt a lot more than I thought it would." She choked out

"You fool!" The talkative man witch boomed "Only Mikealson blood can…"

"Shut up." She said rolling her eyes though she felt like she was dying, _well she was dying wasn't she?_ "I'm getting to that fall out boy. You see every vampire turned in the world has been sired by the Mikealson bloodline…. So technically… "

She coughed hard and spit black liquid onto the ground "Well that's gross." She falling all the way to the ground and rolling over in pain.

With what strength she had left she yelled into the air at no one in particular. "I call upon the ancestor witches who are the source of this spell's power. I humbly request an audience with you"

"No!" Someone yelled but she wasn't sure who it was. She coughed again and saw Elijah and Klaus kneel next to her "Oh hello!" And her last thought of how she was mildly embarrassed to be in running shorts and a sports bra during this final epic moment of her life.

But then she wasn't.

She was still in the same field but she was standing and there was no dagger or even a wound in her chest. She was in a long button up white linen dress and her hair flowed about her freely. It was as if there was a wind blowing is around in an angelic way but the grass in the field was still. She reached up to feel a wreath of flowers and greenery and flowers in her hair.

"I have excellent style in this afterlife." She mumbled to herself.

"Darling this is not the afterlife." She turned to see a single woman dressed as she was except her dress was red.

"You are also very stylish" She noted "if this isn't death then what is it?"

"Was it not you who asked an audience with us?" She asked holding up her hands "Well here we are" Tesla saw as a ripple went out behind her showing at least a hundred witches dressed the same as she was but it was only a glimpse and they disappeared as soon as they had appeared.

"Oh" Tesla said and she curtsied as best she knew how "well thank you very much for… honoring my request."

"We had no reason to deny it vampire child. Speak quickly as we are not a patient group"

"Well the thing is I know it depends on you whether my sacrifice fulfils the curse that this coven has put upon Hope Mikealson." She said stepping closer

"You are here to beg for her life?" The woman asked "We are not much for mercy"

"I have nothing to barter with" Tesla said "But this: accept my life to atone for the curse and this battle will end here. If you do not and Hope Mikealson dies there are no barriers in life or death that will keep the Mikealson's from avenging her."

"Are you threatening us?" The woman asked and her eyes turned black in a terrifying way but Tesla held her ground.

"I'm not stupid." Tesla said "I am simply stating the facts. Your children will shed their blood for this curse sent out against this family."

The woman nodded.

"Hope Mikealson is on Original witch." Tesla added "Please accept my life if nothing else to save one of your own"

"Your death means nothing to us." The woman said and Tesla fell a little "What can you offer me dead?"

Tesla had no answer so she stayed silent.

"Still" The woman smiled which was also very terrifying and beautiful "Your sacrifice pleases us. Not all vampires all the monsters that the Mikealson's are. Tesla Coos your fate shall be decided by us and do you agree to whatever fate we decide upon?"

Tesla wasn't sure. She hadn't pictured anything but death. She was ready to die but she wasn't sure she was ready for worse. She pictured Hayley asking her to take care of Hope and it strengthened her resolve.

"My life or death is yours to decide"

"Very good." The woman said smiling once more.

Tesla woke up and sat up stiffly as if she had been drowning and took a deep breath. Her breathing was heavy as she looked around. She was laying in her bed in the Mikealson house in Brooklyn.

"What…" She said looking around feeling for the dagger at her chest but finding only a deep and ugly scar where the blade had been. It was strange because vampires did not get scars.

"Tesla Coos" A voice came from the corner and Tesla screamed startled. It was the witch from the clearing still wearing the same dress.

She heard footsteps coming down the stairs and turned to see Klaus in the doorway. He stared from her to the witch and back. He stepped forward protectively.

"it's alright Klaus." Tesla held her held up "She's friendly" She looked at the woman "you're friendly right?"

The woman only smiled in response. More footsteps followed as Elijah descended and let out a burdened "Tesla"

"Tesla Coos your fate has been decided by the witch council" the woman said with authority.

"took you long enough it seems." Tesla looked around wondering how long she had ben like this "Was the council on vacation?"

"Your sense of humor is a waste of my time" The woman said

"Not the first time someone has said that to me actually." Tesla said

"Your sacrifice has been honored and you have died in order to fulfil the curse put on Hope Mikealson ."

"Well, this is a really terrible version of heaven" Tesla said sitting back and crossing her arm "Though I have to admit I expected hell to be worse, you all the fire and darkness you read about"

"Enough child." The woman said "the witch council has given you a second life. In return you shall be a marker of a safe haven for witches."

"What does that job entail?" tesla asked

"For the rest of your vampiric life you will be marked. You will vow to take in any witch who comes to you for safety and harbor he or she until it is safe for them to move on"

"Okay." Tesla said and before she could say anything else the woman stepped forward and took her hands. Tesla's hands started to burn as she looked down in horror as black markings appeared on her knuckles. Symbols she didn't know the meaning of.

"What the hell?" She asked looking at them. They were sharp and crisp as if freshly tattooed.

"you have been marked and will fulfil the calling I have given you or forfeit your life." The woman said

"I mean I guess I said I would so…fine" Tesla said nodding at her. The witch smirked.

"May you live long" She said

"Yeah to run a witch halfway house" Tesla responded but when she looked back up the witch was gone. She stood still for a moment before turning to the brothers.

"Is Hope alright?" She asked

"She is" Elijah said walking over to her he bent over and kissed her forehead. "You are now and will always be under my protection Tesla. You have done be a great service" He whispered in an intimate way.

"I love you too" She said as he took the stairs back up to the house.

"I guess you're stuck in a world where I'm alive." She shrugged at Klaus admiring him as she often did "I tried to kill myself I really did"

"You died to protect her."

She said nothing. He came closer and sat next to her resting his head against hers. "and now you can never leave for I won't let you"

"Done but on one condition" He pulled away and looked at her hesitantly

"Fin gets to wake up now."

He kissed her then. Putting his fingers under her chin and taking his time. She didn't know if it was a yes but she wasn't about to stop and ask.


End file.
